A Coat of Crimson
by Negateaux
Summary: Talon: Master assassin and deadly with a blade. He lives without a code. Riven: A loyal soldier dedicated to strict rules. Two completely different kinds of people, tasked to work together for the glory of Noxus. This is the story of how the Crimson Elite came to be. And how they came to be no more. Four-shot.
1. Crimson Morning

So this is how I imagined the first mission between these two would go. I know it's long but I hope you find something to enjoy. Also note that this is before any of the would have been in the League. Or at least that's how I see it.

* * *

Talon sighed in annoyance as he followed the mop of red hair down the street. He didn't feel much like talking and it seemed neither did Katarina. She walked in front of him clad in her usual leather shirt (if one could really call it that) with an exposed mid-section and matching pants. He stared at the knives hanging from her back, the twisted blades that had taken many a life. _Not as much as mine though._ Talon thought with a smirk.

The capital city was at least something to behold, even as the twilight began to set off in the distance. The two of them walked up a grand bridge connecting the entryway to the top section. On a normal day only the Noxian elite were to use it. Although that didn't make much of a difference as Talon still had to take steps to avoid others. Even from their middling height the rest of the city could be seen, a winding path that spiraled and divided those at the bottom from those at the top. Even at this hour Talon could tell the night life was in full swing. Part of him wished to be there as well but here he was stuck.

As if sensing his annoyance Katarina began to speak. "You know, you should be far more excited." Talon moved his brown hair out of his eyes to look back at her.

"Should I now? Explain that one to me." She stopped and turned to look him in the eye with her piercing green ones. The scar on her left eye seeming to twitch.

"You were invited to see General Swain himself! Do you not see what a big deal that is?" She placed her hands on her hips.

"Sorry, I just don't see it." Talon put on a fake smile. "But hey, at least I'm going." She knew it was fake. After all the years they had known each other, neither was surprised by his lack of concern for the most powerful man in Noxus. "Maybe someone's just jealous that they aren't the ones getting picked." Katarina crossed her arms but maintained a blank expression. After a moment she turned and the trek continued.

Near the top of the bridge Talon looked off towards the setting sun and the monorail that one could easily take from the bottom to the top. He sighed again at the unnecessary walk he had to take up here, but of course Katarina had insisted.

The two of them approached the Noxian High Command building and with little more than a nod from the guards standing outside found their way inside. Once inside, things were eerily quiet. Talon felt like the entrance was far more like an office than he expected. A fan spun slowly on the ceiling while the sun came in slits through the window blinds. A lone woman sat at a desk a few feet away looking totally absorbed in whatever paper she was writing on.

Talon began to walk forward but was stopped by a firm hand. Katarina turned to him once again. "This is as far as I go." She looked him dead on. "Try not to act too much like yourself. The General is the most powerful man in Noxus. This is an honor so act like you at least care a bit." Talon could tell that wasn't a request.

Talon lowered his gaze. "The Admiral would want me to act like a proper soldier. I'm not a soldier, or anything close to proper. But for him, I'll play whatever part is necessary." At the mention of the Admiral Katarina lowered her own gaze. Mentioning her father was always a gamble. His disappearance still saddened her after all this time despite her not trying to show it. But Talon's devotion to him still moved her ever so slightly. "I'll see you at home," With that Talon continued his walk.

"Good luck, brother." Talon paused and turned his head slightly. It was rare that either Katarina or her sister would refer to Talon as a brother. It made him feel something he wasn't used to. His lack of response was apparently enough as he heard the door open and quickly close.

Talon walked up to the woman at the desk and waited. He expected her to say "can I help you, or what can I do for you?" But neither of them occurred. She just kept writing. He waited a few more seconds before his patience ran out. "Hey, lady." The woman made a sound of acknowledgment but made no move to stop what she was doing. "I'm here to see Swain."

"You will refer to him only as the General or General Swain." She said without a break in concentration. Talon grunted.

"Fine. I'm here to see the General."

"I assume you have an appointment?" Talon made a face at her but quickly realized she wouldn't see it.

"Yes, I have an appointment." He said through gritted teeth.

"I can tell from your appearance that you must be Talon. You're late, the General won't like that." Talon was taken aback.

"How did you-,"

"You'll find General Swain down that hall," She motioned down a hall to her left and never once broke her writing stride. Talon shook his head and walked down the hall.

It took a few minutes of searching for him to find it but when he did, he was surprised it took him so long. He found the biggest and most outrageous door at the end of a hallway and knew he was in the right place. _Swain, you are lucky I don't have to kill you or you'd make it too easy for me._ He saw only one person standing in front of the door with her hands behind her back. She was a tall woman, almost to his own height. Her skin was a light tan with a few bandages covering parts of her face. Her eyes were a light brown and even through Noxian officer uniform Talon could tell she was very well built. But what caught his attention the most was her hair. Pure white in its tied up state.

He walked towards the door but as soon as he got close, the woman stepped in the way. "The General is in congress. He will be ready soon."

"I have an appointment so beat it." She didn't move a muscle.

"As do I, but the General is in congress. He will be with you _shortly_." Something about the way said the last word gave him pause. A pause he wasn't use to. "You may wait here like I am." With that she moved out of the way of the door and stood as still as a statue. Talon was sick of all this already. He moved off to the side and leaned against the wall. After a moment, the woman actually broke the silence.

"Are you really going to meet the General in that?" She looked him up and down. "Your attire is completely inappropriate for this." Talon looked at himself. He was under dressed, Katarina had said as much when they left the estate. All he wore was a plain black shirt and pants, with a purple overcoat hanging down to his knees.

"Hey, soldier; keep your comments to yourself. I'm not in the army, so I get to wear whatever I please." He smirked at her and she narrowed her eyes. The silence continued for another moment before Talon saw the door swing open.

"This is outrageous. Draven is out!" A man with spiked brown hair and an elaborate mustache stormed out of the room and quickly walked down the hallway. Behind him, a giant of a man walked slowly out.

"Go handle your brother." The voice came from inside the room. The giant man grunted in return and followed the man from before. "You two. Come in." The woman walked inside and Talon followed quickly behind. "Take a seat." Whatever Talon imagined for a generals room, this was it. There was a large desk covered in papers waiting to be signed and post signature. Maps lined the walls and books were strewn everywhere. A man sat behind the desk staring at Talon and the woman as they entered the room. Talon had never seen the General in person but he expected a bit more than this.

Swain was a middle-aged man with a short cropped Mohawk. He wore a long green cloak with various designs upon it. A raven squawked upon his shoulders but it was the eyes that caught Talon by surprise. They were a piercing red, his stare seemed to look straight through Talon. Seeing everything he had ever done. Talon shook it off and took seat besides the woman in chairs placed in front of the desk. For a moment she just looked them over. He looked from Talon to the woman and then back to Talon.

"Riven," Swain began. "State your service record." The woman named Riven stood and began immediately.

"Riven, decorated in over twenty campaigns. I have been training since before I enlisted at eighteen. Ninety percent of my battles end in victory. For eight years, I have lead Tiger squad with minimal causalities, sir."

Swain nodded his head as if that was exactly what he expected. "Now, Talon Du Co-,"

"It's just Talon." Talon stated strictly. Swain raised an eyebrow.

"I was lead to believe you were a member of Admiral Du Couteau's household." Talon rolled his eyes.

"I've been living with them since I was fifteen. That was twelve years ago. But I am not one of them. And as far as my 'service record' I kill people. For you. That's it." Riven looked over at Talon as if she had just been personally offended.

"How dare you-,"

"Riven," Swain cut her off. "It's fine. I expected nothing less from someone like him. But that's what we need." Swain stood up, sending the raven on his shoulder flying around the room. He picked up a cane and began to walk around the room with a heavy limp. "I'm just going to get straight to the point of all this. It probably seems highly irregular for this kind of meeting. However that's all the point of this. What I will discuss doesn't leave this room. I hope that's understood."

"Of course it is, sir." Riven readily responded. She then looked to Talon as if expecting an answer. He scowled at her before deciding he'd better to do it.

"Yeah, sure." Swain made a noise which sounded like laughter but it was impossible to tell.

"Good enough. The two of you are the best there is at what you do. Riven, you are our finest soldier and Talon…well you know what you're good at." Talon laughed at this. "There is a man, Admiral Kallus. He was my friend for a time but now that time has ended. He's having a party, one week from today. I want you to go to the party, and I want you to end him." Talon and Riven looked at each other confused.

"Sounds like an easy job, General. Don't know why I need the soldier here."

"I hesitate to agree with Talon. However he's right. I understand the need for…assassins in a time such as ours but that's not really my field. Plus, a fellow Noxian? Why?" Swain circled back to his desk and sat down. The raven returned to his shoulder.

"Good questions. Both of them. Here's the thing: I'm starting a task force. It begins and ends with you two. I'm calling it the Crimson Elite, the finest in subterfuge and in assault. I actually considered your…associate Katarina for the position but you struck me as more effective."

"A good decision on your part, boss. I am the best."

"And there is something else." Swain's face hardened. "It may or may not come as a surprise but I have many children. Most are bastards of course, I try to keep track of them time and again. Admire which ones can climb the Noxian ladder and which fall to the wayside. But I still make a point to keep them within Noxus." He breathed deeply as if he wasn't ready to admit what was next. "Kallus has one of my daughters." Riven sucked in some air.

"The details," Swain continued. "Will all be given to you before the mission but I need to know I can trust the two of you with this."

"Of course, sir! The two of us will not fail you." Riven saluted.

"Now wait a minute." Talon interjected. "Are you paying me?" Swain gave him a look that said, "of course you'll be paid, fool" Talon looked away. "Right of course. I guess I'm in."

"Good. Now you do have one week and since it is just you two I suggest you start getting to know one another. Trust is paramount out in the field. You are dismissed." With that Swain went back to looking at his papers and left Talon wondering what he'd gotten himself into.

* * *

Talon wasn't interested in talking. Riven found that out the hard way. That was made abundantly clear as the two of them set out on the carriage taking them from the heart of Noxus to Kallandra, a city a little over a half a days ride from the Capital. Talon sat, looking out the window, still not engaging Riven in any kind of conversation. This annoyed her to no end. Back with her own squad she made a point to always get to know them. She had once heard it said that a leader should never befriend those beneath them. In part this was due to said leader potentially passing over judgment because of personal feelings. And it was for this reason Riven had made a point to get to know her people.

It made the judgment even more important.

It was just the two of them in the carriage. Riven looked down at the files given to her by the General. Deciding it better to go over some kind of plan with Talon if nothing else. Surely an assassin would like to be prepared. "I'm thinking we should go over the details before we get there." Talon grunted but made no indication he was interested. "I'll take that as an okay." Riven decided to begin as she cleared her throat.

"We are attending the fortieth birthday part of Admiral Kallus. A long time server of Noxus, he and General Swain we long time friends but due to the Generals recent rise in power, Kallus has become, and I quote, 'a jealous prick' end quote."

"How did he take the kid?" Talon said. Finally deciding to get involved.

"Apparently it wasn't a kidnapping or anything like that. Kallus decided the she should marry his own son. The General obviously couldn't deny because that would be admitting that she's his." Talon finally looked back at Riven.

"Now that makes the General look like a prick." Riven widened her eyes and clenched her fist.

"Do not refer to the General in that manner, I'm sure he-,"

"Look, soldier. I don't like irresponsible parenting. Don't take it so seriously."

"A statement like that implies a lot of childhood trauma of your own." Riven watched his face closely. It was only there for the briefest of seconds but she had struck a nerve somewhere in him. She had seen enough men trying to hid true feeling in her eight years of service that virtually no one could hide from her completely. _Maybe there is something to him._ She thought to herself. Talon looked back out the window blankly as if nothing had happened.

"Anyway, back to the plan. I'm thinking we mingle for a good hour or so. We talk to people, find out about the girl. Find her, deal with Kallus and leave." Talon turned back to her. His face painted in disbelief. "I'm sorry, I don't usually have missions like this. I admit that I don't have the best idea of what we should do."

"Then I guess it's a good thing you have me." Talon looked up and down Riven as if he was scanning her for something. "Tell me you know how to use that?" She looked around the cabin confused.

"Use what?"

"Your body, soldier. Can you use it?" This only made her more confused than before.

"I assure you my prowess in combat is unmatched…that's not what you mean is it?" Talon nodded but he got up from his side of carriage and sat next to her.

"Here's the thing, soldier: I've killed enough people like this to know exactly how this works. You walk in that room wearing that officers uniform you got on and I assure you someone's going to be suspicious. All you have to do is get a nice dress, blend in when you can, try shaking your hips when you walk and make sure people see that face of yours. Without a doubt the most famous soldier in Noxus will draw enough attention for us to get the information we need. When we do, I kill Kallus and you find the girl." Talon leaned back and put his hands behind his head. "Simple as that."

Riven didn't like this plan. Mostly because of how laid back he seemed about all this. She hadn't had much time for dresses in her life. No, she had spent far too much time in the dirt and grime for it to even matter. And the way Talon had spoke, it was as if he wanted her to seduce someone. A gesture that seemed out of the question. Riven had no shortage of men seeking her attention over the years. It didn't matter if she was covered in blood or fresh from battle and seeking a relaxing stint in a tavern, at least a third of the time someone would try something that would generally leave them with a broken nose.

Something reminded her of the time before she was in the army. One boy, also in her training program back when she was sixteen. He had insisted that she was the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen and after a lot of flirtatious talk he had kissed her. She remembered being so stunned that she just let it happen. He took her silence rather personally and she never found a way to properly express her feelings. He was gone soon after that. Occasionally she would see him at a distance, even today, but they never shared a glance or words after that moment. The sound of snapping fingers brought her back to reality.

"Hey, soldier, wake up." Riven shook her head then looked into Talon's eyes.

"I have seen the wisdom in your plan. I think I read in the report that Kallus is a widow anyway. Rare for a man, but still."

"Good. Because it looks like we're here." The two of them looked out the windows of the carriage as the Kallandra came into view. It wasn't much to look at compared to the capital but as far as party towns go, it wasn't bad. The carriage came to a stop alongside many other carriages. All of which contained people looking to get their night going. Talon moved to leave but Riven put a hand on his shoulder.

"Look, Talon, I know we have our differences but if the General is willing to make this work, then so am I." She extended a hand out towards him. Talon looked at it for a second as if he wasn't sure what to do with it. After another moment he shook her hand.

"Sure, soldier, let's do some damage." Riven smirked. _I guess that's as good as I'm going to get._ The two of them left the carriage and circled around to the back. They opened up the back where their clothes were being held. But there was something else. In the week after they agreed and now the General commissioned personalized uniforms for the two of them, The Crimson Elite garb. They seemed too obvious to actually wear to the party so they decided to wait and see if they would need them.

Once they were fully clothed in their actual attire Talon, now dressed in a purple and black tuxedo sighed heavily. "I'm surprised, soldier. That dress actually doesn't look terrible on you." The dress was rather simple, a sleeveless white dress to match her hair that went down past her knees.

"You look rather out of place in yours." Talon pulled at his tie.

"I am, but at least I look good. But hey, there's something you should know." Riven raised an eyebrow but said nothing. "In the interest of…transparency, I have to tell you that what you said in the carriage wasn't inaccurate. I don't remember my parents at all. My earliest memory is of stealing stuff on the streets. Hence my problem with parents. And I guess you should also know that I killed my last partner so I wouldn't screw up if I were you."

Riven wasn't going to back down from a threat like that even if they were partners now. "I'm glad we have an understanding then. The same warning applies to you." She couldn't tell from where they stood but for a moment Talon looked like he actually smiled. He quickly turned away and began to walk inside. "One more thing Talon." He turned back to her. "Blood for Noxus." He stared at her for a moment.

"Blood for Noxus. Now I think I'm going to go make some friends. I'll find you when I need you." With that he turned and walked inside.

* * *

Blood for Noxus, such a stupid phrase. Katarina had been trying to get Talon to say it for years and he always denied her. It was one of two phrases used by those in Noxus. The other being, Strength Above All. _I serve the family, not Noxus_. At least that's what he always told himself, yet here he was doing a job for none other than Lord Noxus himself, Jericho Swain. The idea left a bad taste in his mouth. But as a professional he knew he had to do what must be done.

The inside was actually quite a nice setup. As soon as Talon entered the foyer he was greeted to the sounds of idle conversation. Black stone tile lined the floors with a similar stone covering the walls. The walls were covered with paintings of some of the great moments in the history of Noxus. Two staircases on opposite sides of the room lead up to the upper floor, where personal rooms were likely to reside. But straight on, and where the music played loudest was where the party was to be at its heaviest.

Talon made his way past the people, and get to the meat of it all. He passed through the main door without so much as a second glance by anyone. _Kallus is either very cocky or very stupid._ The grand ballroom was as overdone as Talon suspected. A high circled ceiling with pictures of doves being hunted by ravens oddly enough spread into a dome. At the top was a balcony showing the top floor. The surrounding area was filled by tables filled with food and wine while the center circle of the room had people dancing. Musicians stood off to the side and Talon noticed two doors on opposite sides of the rooms. He knew he needed to check out what was within. Possibly for a clue on Kallus.

He intended to move with purpose but not to act too focused for too long. No need to raise suspicion. He'd learned not to do that that hard way. He made a point to stop at every other group of people he came across and try to look like he was in on the conversation. Even giving a fake laugh whenever the situation called for it. He picked up a scone from a nearby table but decided it better to not drink. The Admiral had taught him that one.

He reached the first of the two doors. This one had two guards standing in front of it. He decided the best way to find out just how secretive it was by trying to go in. As he reached the door, the guards made no move to stop him. He pulled the door open and was greeted to the bathroom line. He cursed in his head and moved to the next one.

The guards in front of the second door stopped him. "Authorized personnel only. Bathroom's that one." One guard pointed to the bathroom.

"Sorry, gents, I'm just looking for the Admiral. Someone said he might be here tonight."

"Keep your breeches on, he'll be here soon. I recommend you just enjoy the party and wait." Talon sneered at them but turned and walked away regardless. He returned to one of the tables and decided to enjoy the music for a moment. They had just arrived, perhaps the Admiral would show himself. Talon would make his end quick after that. He spied Riven across the hall. She looked to him questioningly but he just shook his head. He nodded in her direction and she shook her head as well. Neither had any luck. He stood up from his chair and headed over to sooth his now drying throat. There was plenty of wine but what he really wanted was just some water. He picked up a wine glass and looked around quickly. The coast was clear so he tossed the wine and filled it with water from a fountain. He felt relief almost immediately.

"I hope you know I saw that." The voice came in a heavily accented tone. Not one he'd heard before.

He didn't bother to turn towards the voice. "Yeah, what of it? This is what they get for not having any empty cups." A woman moved into the edge of his vision. He figured it must be the source of the voice.

"I couldn't agree more." This got his attention. He turned to the woman. She was a tall woman with pale skin. She had short black hair that hung just below her chin but went shorter in the back, with red strands covering taking up the front. She wore a blue ankle-length dress with a black overcoat adorned with a symbol Talon didn't recognize. "If you're only trying for water, my guess is you're a recovering drunk or maybe just a fool." Talon wasn't sure what to make of that.

"I guess we're both fools then. No, I just want water because when I inevitably have to kill someone, I'd like my wits to be about me." The woman gazed at him. Obviously trying to determine whether it was a joke or not. She must have decided that it was because she chuckled. She held out the top of her hand.

"Fiora Laurent, my family is helping throw this little party of ours." _Jackpot._ Talon took her hand and shook.

"Talon. Hope you're not expecting me to kiss that hand." She raised an eyebrow but said nothing. "You said you're family is helping throw this party?"

"Ah yes. My father the Comte de Laurent and the Admiral are old friends. We're from Demacia and despite tensions they wanted to show that there could still be some semblance of peace." She took a drink of her own water. "And what of your family? What do they do." Talon looked over to find that Riven still wandered the room but she wasn't looking his way.

"My family?" Talon was tempted to say, "they're dead" but he caught himself. Sometimes he had to remind himself that he was the Admiral thought him as his own son after a time even if Talon himself never felt the same. "My…father is an Admiral. Like Kallus. By the way, have you seen him?" Fiora looked over to the center of the dance floor.

"I believe that's him now." All at once, the sound of music was replaced by the sounds of people clapping. A short dark-skinned man stepped out in front the crowd and began to address them.

"I want to thank all of you for coming to this party of mine, at my humble abode." A obvious joke to which everyone gave their courtesy laughs. "Now I'm not going to talk forever but just a few quick things. I wanted to thank the Laurent family for helping me put this on. We know tensions are high but let this be a gesture of good faith to the people of Demacia. Second, my future daughter-in-law regrets that she can't attend the party. A foul cold has left her out of commission. She's probably sound asleep in her bed upstairs." The crowd gave a collective "aww" before Kallus continued.

"Finally I just want everyone to enjoy themselves. Let the party continue. I think I'll join this next dance myself!" The crowd clapped again and then the masses moved towards the center to dance. An idea started to form in Talon's head.

"Hey, Missy." Fiora turned to him with a disgusted look on her face. Clearly not a fan of the name. "Would you let me have this dance?"

"As long as you never call me Missy again."

"No promises. I just need to handle one thing first. I'll be back in just a minute." Fiora scoffed as Talon turned away and made his way towards Riven.

She was chewing on some meat when he approached. "I have a plan, soldier. I'm just going to need you to trust me on this."

Riven swallowed her food. "Would you like to fill me in on this plan? It had better not be…" She trailed off and went into a whisper. "To kill Kallus during the dance in front of everyone." Talon looked as her, disappointed.

"Okay, I have a plan B. Just do what you're good at and trust your betters. I got this." Talon turned to leave but Riven grabbed his collar and brought him back.

"I know you're used to working alone. I get it, but we're partners now. We have to trust each other. Neither of us is better than the other. We're equals." Talon felt something in his gut he wasn't used to. He couldn't even describe it.

"Right, soldier. Just follow my lead. You'll know the signal." With that he ran off to find Fiora again.

To his surprise, there she was. "Sorry about the wait Missy." He took her by the hand and dragged her to the dance floor. The Noxian Line wasn't the sole name of the frontline of any army. Only people in Noxus would name their chief dance. It involved a long time one on one, then it would switch partners and continue. Eventually he would get to Kallus.

It had been a while since Talon had done the dance but he knew how to make it work. He wasn't really focused on Fiora but she insisted on conversation. "So if your father is an admiral, you must have learned how to defend yourself right? Such is the Noxian way?"

"If you're asking me if I know how to handle a sword, I assure you I do. And I'm guessing you know something as well."

"Oh really? What makes you say that?" He moved his left hand to her right bicep.

"The way your arms are toned, I can tell you're no pampered princess. The evenness of the muscles suggested you may even be ambidextrous with a slight favoring towards your right arm." Fiora nodded in agreement. "Furthermore," He moved his hand to her hip and thigh. She gave him a look but made no move to resist. "I can tell from this leg that you have a dueling stance to you. I also noticed it when you walk. And especially when you dance." The time to switch partners came up and for one moment Talon forgot his reason for being here. To the annoyance of others, the two of them continued their dance.

"You certainly know your stuff." Fiora chimed in. "But since I could have your hands cut off for the way you're touching me, I'll save you the examination. I am without a doubt the best duelist in all of Demacia. One day I'll be the best in all Valoran." Talon could tell that if nothing else, she believed what she was saying.

"Well that's good." Talon said. "Because I'm the best with a blade in all of Noxus." For a second, all the music faded along with everything else. A spark of curiosity hit them both. Talon knew now what had to happen and Fiora shared the same look. "If you want to see…" Fiora broke away from the dance and made a move over to Admiral Kallus. The hint of excitement in her eyes never wavering. She whispered something in his ear and the shred of excitement seemed to transfer to his face. _Noxians can't resist good fight._

Within moments Kallus had ended the music to once again address the crowd. "Ladies and Gentlemen, there has been a request for a dual. The daughter of my friend claims she has found a match worth of us all. Who wants to see a little blood?!" The crowd cheered. Kallus began to clear everyone out of the center until it left just Talon and Fiora.

"Bring me my sword!" Fiora yelled into the crowd. After a moment someone approached with it. It was a thin blade. A rapier to be precise. Adorned with a golden hilt. She leveled it at Talon. "Where's your blade? Or are you all talk?" Talon chuckled.

"I have it. It's just outside. People," Talon addressed the crowd. "Please let's leave the confines of the indoors and takes this into the cool night air. I need to grab my gear." Fiora rolled her eyes but agreed nonetheless. "I need my servant! Bring me my servant." Talon said as he began to walk towards the door. No one said anything or made a move to approach him. "I said, I need my servant." He looked right at Riven. She sighed and ran up to him. "Just do as I say, soldier and when I get it going, find the girl." She nodded as they went outside.

Talon lead the group to the carriage they came in on and quickly opened up the back. He and Riven looked upon their special uniforms and decided that now was the time. He took out her garb and handed it to her as if she actually was his servant and then he reached for her blade. Something he had to take a breath before doing. Riven insisted on using a sword almost as large as she was. It was apparently some gift from Command but Talon could barely lift it.

The thing had a foot long handle and a guard almost as long. The sword was black runestone with green symbols up and down it. Fiora came around the corner. "Please tell me that's not your sword." Talon looked at it.

"No, it's just my last trophy. Servant, help me with this." In reality, he couldn't lift it all. Riven came over and grabbed it with one hand. She hoisted it over her shoulder with a smirk on her face. Talon ignored it and grabbed his uniform. "Just one second, Missy."

"I'm going to cut you for everyone of those." Talon quickly took off his tux and put on the uniform. It was a black skin tight outfit with a red belt at the waist and red shoulder pads. It had a custom symbol and the torso with matching armored boots and gloves. There was a helmet but he left that off. He made a wide movement with his arm and the blade within it extended. He turned to Fiora.

"It's not exactly a dueling blade but someone of your skill, I'm guessing it matters little."

"It's different but I like the challenge." She reached down to her own dress and after a moment tore of most of it. Leaving a flowing mid-thigh dress in its place. "En garde!" Talon looked to Riven and nodded. She ran back inside and the sound of steel on steel filled the air.

* * *

Riven was surprised by Talon. Not only could he dance. A decent surprise for someone like him. She couldn't do the same, but his plan seemed to actually be working. No one saw her slip back inside the building and it looked like the only ones remaining inside were the sparse selection of guards. They wouldn't be a problem. Now, to the mission. Her large blade slowed her only slightly after all the time she'd spent with it. And after adorning her own uniform, she felt better than she ever had wearing the dress before. She only wished it wasn't as tight as it was in the chest. She realized she'd have to change that later.

She pushed her way back into the ballroom. She decided that guarded door she observed during the dance was the best place to start. As soon as she entered, the guards all looked to her. It was probably a red flag to come into a ballroom with a sword as big as hers. But it seemed they were unsure. None made any sudden moves. "I know what this looks like." She began. "But I truly do not want to hurt you. So," She leveled her sword towards them. "Stand aside and you won't be harmed." They readied their weapons. The hard way it was to be.

They were not any measure of a challenge. None had anything close to Riven's skill. She could block two people with one blade and outmaneuver them still. She swung in a wide arc with the back of her blade and crashed into two of them. Leaving them winded but uninjured. Another dodge and the other two went down the same. She felt no desire to kill any more Noxians than she had to.

She ran to the other end of the hallway and pushed through the door. Heart pumping in her chest.

The upstairs wasn't much to look at. More paintings lined the walls and she noticed a few servants strewn about. They all looked at her but when she showed her sword, they turned away and ran. _She has to be in one of these rooms._ Doors and more guards lined the top floor. It would take only moments to be done with them.

After the guards were down she opened the first door. Nothing but a bedroom. By how nice it was, she guessed it was Kallus's. The second room wasn't empty but she wished it was. Two of the party goers were getting quite intimate. After a scream from one woman, the other woman told her to get lost. Riven was happy to comply.

The third room was the last in this hall. She opened it up and the person inside quickly turned to her. At first Riven wasn't even sure if it was a boy or a girl. They were bald and the figure didn't betray one way or another. But upon closer inspection Riven could tell in the shape of the face, and hands that it was a woman. Her eyes, a deep red color. A trait from her father no doubt. The woman looked to Riven. "Can I…help you?"

"You're her aren't you? Amara Westerly." The woman lowered her gaze but stood up. She was covered in a long navy blue robe.

"How do you know my name?" Amara asked.

"I'm here to take you home." Amara stared at her for a second before so primal force took over her face. Twisting it into some disgusted look.

"My father sent you didn't he? Wait, don't answer that, of course he did. He can't acknowledge I'm his daughter but he still wants to control me." Riven raised an eyebrow.

"I'm sure you're exaggerating. The General clearly cares for you." Even as the words escaped her something in them felt wrong. Amara looked out the window of her room.

"Look, this has been great but I have a ride to catch so if you wouldn't mind…" She trailed off and started walking towards the window. Riven hurriedly ran up to her and grabbed her hand.

"My orders were to bring you home. That's what I'm going to do." Amara shook free and slowly moved closer to the window.

"You don't get it do you. I bet he told you that I didn't want to be here. That I may have been taken against my will. Well I wanted to leave. Do you have any idea how hard it is living with those red eyes looking down at you all day. He kept me close. Maybe I was his favorite. But no more. I'm done with Noxus."

"What do you mean, you're done?"

"I'm catching a ship out of here. Headed to Ionia, I'm tired of living in a place where strength is the most important thing in the world. Some people are too weak to help themselves you know. But how could you. You're just some lackey." Riven didn't know how to process the words coming from someone so close to the General. "I want to wake up next to nature, in a place of peace, until my father inevitably decides he wants it for himself. Show you're not just some dog. Let me go."

"But my honor as a soldier dictates-,"

"Your honor? Noxians know nothing of honor. Where was the honor of my father when my mother died. Bet he didn't tell you that either. She was a whore, you know the story. Sleep with enough people and eventually you'll catch something. Swain was nowhere to be seen. No honor there." Riven knew she didn't have time for this. Talon could only distract everyone for so long. She had to make a choice. Her honor as a soldier or her honor as herself.

"Please," Amara continued. "It's not just me. I know Kallus and my father are enemies now. People say it's because Swain became the Noxian leader and it's all about jealousy. But that's not everything. This whole party was to show that Noxus and Demacia can get along at least for a time. Kallus saw that I hated Noxus as it is and offered to let me marry his son. But that was never the plan. He just wanted to give me a way out. My father would never settle for peace."

"Stop talking!" Riven shouted. She couldn't take it anymore. He could see the truth in her words. Whatever was going on in Amara's head she believed the words. Riven grunted and raised her sword.

"What are you doing? I won't go with you so you kill me?!" Riven wordlessly swung the sword into the ground. The blade dug itself into the floor. Amara was stunned. Riven moved her hand to the blade. She quickly jerked it back as a searing pain filled her palm. Blood sat on the blades edge and dripped heavily from her hand. She breathed deeply. Riven raised her hand to her face and smeared the blood on both of her cheeks.

"Are you crazy!" Amara shouted. Riven replicated the cut on her right leg, deeper than she intended. The blood was soaking heavily into the suit. She decided to do one more on her torso. She held the sword up and breathed deeply. _One more._ She leaned into the sword and the blood flowed. She cried out in agony. She shook off the pain and faced Amara.

"I am the strength of Noxus and for that I cannot let a citizen be held against her will. I will tell your father that you resisted and I had to put you down."

"You really are crazy. He'll kill you."

"I know. But if I can't keep my honor as a soldier then I at least need to be me." Amara smiled but said nothing else as she leapt out the window. _Blood for Noxus._ Riven hoisted the blade over her shoulder. The pain in her leg and torso flaring up almost immediately. She almost dropped it from the weight but she righted herself and stood up straight. A soldier must never forget their posture. She was grateful, if nothing else that she didn't need to seduce anyone.

Talon's heart beat like a drum in his chest. Riven was taking longer than he'd hoped for. He breathed heavily. Fiora seemed no less exhausted but she kept coming. Faster and more forcefully than before. A smile never left her face. Talon had to admit he was enjoying this more than he anticipated. For all of her arrogance, she seemed to have the skills to match. What was left of her dress was in tatters, as was Talon's uniform. They had decided early on that first blood was too easy so they agreed to go until someone gave up. It was early on they both realized that would take a while. The crowd was entrapped.

Talon pushed off with his right leg and lunged. Fiora quickly blocked and struck back quickly. A normal swordsman wouldn't have even seen it coming but Talon was just fast enough. He leaned just out of the way and swung his arm in a wide arc to get some distance. She blocked but the distance was his. They circled each other for another moment but something caught Talon's eye. The moon was high in the sky now and its light reflected off something. He looked towards the source.

Riven stood near the entrance with her sword next to her. The reflection was intentional. He locked eyes with her and noticed all the blood. _What happened to you?_ She quickly placed her finger on her throat and traced across it. The universal sign for death. Talon came back to reality just in time to avoid Fiora's jab. But it was time for this to end. He motioned towards the carriage with his head. Riven began to move.

Kallus had been in the front row of the fight the whole time which Talon hoped for. But he knew he needed a bit more time. He did the dance with Fiora until he saw Riven reach the cart. He quickly glanced back to see her conversing with the driver. His getaway was in place. Talon circled Fiora until Kallus was right behind him. He swung wildly, a move to get Fiora off balance. She blocked but had to back up more. In the same motion, Talon spun and connected his blade with Kallus's neck. For a second nobody even noticed it and that was Talon's golden moment. He pushed through the crowd to the carriage and quickly jumped to the top of it. Riven was safely inside. He tapped the top and without a pause the carriage began to move.

Blood soaked Talon's blade as the crowd was finally realizing what had happened. One thing he'd learned is that the moment right when before everyone realizes what happened is the best time to make an escape. "Oh Missy," Talon yelled as they sped off. "We'll finish this one day!" They were already too far for it to even matter how she responded.

Talon made his way into the carriage and sat himself next to Riven. He looked at her bloodied body and to the sword she held. He leaned his head back and decided he'd better get some sleep. "Aren't you going to ask what happened?"

"I trust that if you didn't get her, it was impossible. I can see that the blood on your sword and your wounds match up. No one could have lifted that but you. Meaning you took the wounds yourself for whatever screwed up reason you had. I got to kill Kallus, That's all that matters to me." With that the conversation was over.

Hours later they left the carriage safely back at the Capital. Talon helped Riven exit the cart and she exhaled deeply. "You sure you can make it back like that?" She nodded.

"I've had worse. I'll be fine. Goodbye Talon." She walked away without another word.

"One more thing." Talon said. Riven turned back to him. "It was good working with you. If Swain doesn't kill you, I look forward to this again, partner." She smiled weakly. Talon turned and left.

Talon made his way back to the estate and quickly removed his uniform. It was the dead of night now but he could hear noises from upstairs. A soft moan of sadness. He looked over to a couch near the entrance and saw Katarina sleeping awkwardly upon it. She was wearing a nightgown with a book held lazily up on her face.

He made his way towards the sound from upstairs and slowly opened the door to the source. In a lightly candled room lay his other "sister" Cassiopeia. Her snake tail hanging from the bed. He approached her as she slept without blankets, exposing her human torso and head. She had wraps around her eyes. "Is that you brother?" She whispered weakly.

"Yeah, it's me."

"Would you take off my bandages? I want to hear about your mission today." Talon nodded and removed them to reveal piercing green eyes. Utterly inhuman eyes.

"You should sleep. I'll make it short. I got hired to kill someone but I also got a partner. She was different than most. I think she will be useful." Cassiopeia's eye's flicked from his down to his chest.

"Do you care for her, brother?" It was an odd question to be sure. Not one they would normally ask each other.

"No, she's just…" Cassiopeia placed her hand on his cheek.

"I can see things now, you know. Something about this girl is different. I know it was just one time but you should tell me the whole story sometime. I don't do much but sit here."

"Will do, Cass. Goodnight." With that, he blew out her candle and we to sleep in his own bed.

* * *

So that was it. I tried to make them act as much like they do in the game in this story. It's not much to go on but hey there is is. Let me know what you think and maybe I'll do another. If it sucked, I want to know.


	2. Crimson Noon

Alright, part two of the partnership between Riven and Talon. Sorry it took so long but I am committed to doing all four parts. Enjoy.

* * *

Riven was glad that it was starting to get colder. Otherwise the trek through this desert would have been unbearable. She'd marched through many deserts before and did so without complaint but that didn't mean she had to enjoy it. She took heart in the fact that she didn't have to wear any bulky armor though. The Crimson Elite garb was able to do that as well. Something about the way it was made. She kept her hood off, allowing her hair to flow in the desert wind.

She looked to her right. And walking beside her, just as miserable looking as ever, stood Talon. A notion so ridiculous she had to keep reminding herself that he wasn't a mirage or something. He had an eternal scowl on his hooded face but other than that he remained silent. Everything she'd learned about Talon in the last two months suggested he'd never volunteer for this kind of military movement. He preferred to stay in the back and look for perfect moments to strike. Not stand out in the open like a soldier.

He noticed her staring and wordlessly stared back. She smiled at him. He just raised his eyebrow and kept walking. Anyone else might see that as a rude gesture, but Riven had learned better at this point. In fact, she found herself spending a lot more time with Talon than expected. Always because of a mission of course but she noticed they had actually become a somewhat effective team.

Three weeks ago all of Valoran had its annual Harrowing event. People dress up in strange costumes and scare people. As well as give out candy to children. And they drink. A lot. But for Riven and Talon, the Harrowing made them pull double duty. That was the time of year that all the crazies came out to play. She remembered one assignment they received where some crazy woman had been killing people and using them to make her "realistic art". Generally it would have been a Noxian police force issue but Riven had signed them up to handle. It was scum like that, that had always given Noxus a bad name. And Riven intended to put an end to it.

The woman ended up being some kind of magic user who then would reanimate those she killed in order to combat them. It had been bloody work. And when they finally caught the woman, Riven suggested they should bring her in for judgment. Talon had another idea. "These things happen because Noxus doesn't care. Remember that, partner." With that, he cut her the woman's throat. Riven hated to see a Noxian citizen killed like that but she also knew that she deserved it. The words had plagued her ever since. "Noxus doesn't care." It was an impossible notion. And one that proved his ignorance. Perhaps it came from growing up on the street. But she had to admit, you never heard about art killers in Demacia.

She shook away the thoughts and tried to think about a better memory.

One day, an off day, that is. Talon convinced her to come to what he called a "money fight." She had an idea of what that meant but still, she was curious. It ended up being a sweaty arena with people packed shoulder to shoulder. They were swearing and shouting praises to seemingly no one. Then the fighters arrived. Perhaps it was just wishful thinking but when the two fighters entered the arena Riven's heart sank. Two women entered, though they looked more like animals than people. They were wearing only sheds of clothing and one seemed to actually be snarling. She didn't need foresight to know what was going to happen next. And so they fought.

It was bloody business. They scrapped for what seemed like hours, though she admitted that it was probably closer to four to five minutes. It wasn't even a competition really. The larger woman easily overpowering the other. In the end only one still stood. Riven looked closer at the winner. She was a massive thing. Rippling with muscles. The other seemed to be deathly skinny. Making the larger ones victory more of a guarantee. After she knocked out the opponent the whole crowd went silent. "Pay attention to this, partner." Talon said. A balcony was held over the whole arena. A woman rose from a makeshift throne. She was garbed in an elegant flaming red dress. It reminded Riven of a phoenix with the way the colors danced around the room.

The woman addressed the crowd. "People. You know what happens next. Decided her fate!" Riven couldn't believe what she heard. The people were going to decide the fate of this small girl? A knot tied in her stomach as the people expressed their desire. "Kill her!" They shouted. Among many other profanities. She clenched her jaw. Not out of horror though. Instead it was from her own lack of surprise. All that mattered in Noxus was strength. She was weak and therefore useless.

She looked over at Talon. He had stayed quiet on the judgment and for a moment Riven wondered how he felt about it. But then she saw it. It was slight. But he was grinning. It seemed he was enjoying this. Typical.

"Why are we here, Talon?" She asked, trying to get her mind off this.

"What do you mean? We're here to watch the fight."

"You mean, we're here to watch them kill that girl." He scowled for a moment but said nothing. The phoenix dress woman held out a thumb down. A symbol for the girls impending death. A Noxian citizen, killed for nothing but sport. Riven wouldn't allow it. They wanted strength? She's show them strength.

Riven gripped Talon's arm. "We're saving her." She tugged at him but he resisted.

"What? We can't just jump in there. The people have already decided she has to die."

"We're saving her." Riven restated. This time with far more force. She stared straight into Talon's eyes. Not removing her hand from his arm. For a second there was a stalemate. But after a moment Talon retreated.

"Fine, partner. We'll save her. Though I don't see why."

"You brought me here to watch someone die for sport! Did you really think I would just let that happen?" She started to muscle her way past the crowd. She didn't have time to argue with him. But there was one last thing. "And leave your knives. You won't be needing them." She would show them strength without someone needing to die.

Riven jumped down from the stands just as the muscled woman was about to finish off her target. "Enough of this!" Riven yelled. Stopping the other woman in her tracks. She heard the sound of Talon hitting the ground behind her. She felt satisfied he had followed. The crowd went quiet again. The phoenix dressed woman cocked her head.

"What do we have here I wonder?" She smiled a grim smile before her eyes widened in shock. "Talon? What a pleasant surprise." Talon grunted.

"Sorry, Liz. Usually I like to enjoy the party," He slapped Riven on the shoulder. "But my partner here has other plans." Riven tensed up. The slap just made her more furious.

"Interesting. And what, pray tell, are those plans?" Liz seemed to be enjoying this break in her action. Riven couldn't stand it.

"We're taking the girl. No one is dying today." Liz stared blankly. As if this was an expected course of action.

"Well, what an interesting proposal. Usually I don't like when people interrupt my show. These people need their entertainment!" With that last remake the crowd yelled in applause again. Riven remained unmoved. "If you want her then you'll have to play by Noxian rules." Liz snapped her fingers. Four men jumped down from the crowd. Large men with smiles on their face. Looked like it was going to be a fight.

"I assume you can take them?" She said to Talon.

"Despite your handicap? Yeah, I got them. Go play hero." Riven nodded and ran towards the muscular woman.

Had Riven been a lesser woman, she may have thought for a second before charging a much larger opponent. But now wasn't the time for caution. She knew what she had to do even in her current state. She had no weapons and wasn't even dressed for the occasion. Deciding to wear a simple grey tank top and black pants.

The muscled woman readied herself for a fight, but Riven had no interest in a long battle. The other woman swung a wild punch. One meant to intimidate more than actually harm. Riven easily ducked under the swipe. She crouched low and readied her fist. She swung up with all her might. Her fist connected with the other woman's chin and Riven could have sworn she heard something crack. But she wasn't done. She stepped forward and swung again into the other woman's stomach. She met solid abs but pushed through. The other woman stumbled back for a second but after a look of defiance, fell over, passed out.

She didn't take time to congratulate herself. She made her way to the knocked out skinny girl and picked her up. She had brown skin and short black hair. Her skinny body was covered in cuts and bruises. One eye was swollen shut. She heard someone approaching and quickly turned to see one of the men almost upon her. She cursed in her mind as there wasn't much she could do while holding the girl. Then Talon came.

"Thought you could get away?" Talon said as he grabbed the man from behind. They struggled for a moment before Talon unleashed a fury of blows before the man went down. Talon wasn't done though. He went down after the guy and continued to hit him. His intent was to kill. Riven couldn't keep doing this. She moved towards him.

"That's enough, Talon!" Talon froze and looked at her. Once again they matched gaze. His eyes almost saying, "Tell me what to do again. I dare you." And hers saying, "Defy my orders again and find out what happens." It was an intense mental battle but once again Talon relented.

"Fine. What a killjoy." They didn't take any more time to fight. They quickly ran to the nearest exit. Hopefully away from all this madness.

After they left, Riven realized she didn't actually know what to do with the girl. But she could figure that out later. She stood, covered in sweat, in an alleyway, panting along with Talon.

"Well that was fun." He said as if there was no problem. She couldn't take anymore. But she wouldn't let her anger consume her.

"I don't think we should work together anymore." The words dropped like a bombshell. She saw his usually empty expression melt into something like confusion.

"What the hell are you talking about? Did you see what we accomplished? We kicked ass."

"No, made me watch a girl almost get murdered. For nothing other than your excitement."

"I was just trying to have some fun. Sorry we don't all get off by saluting to superior officers. Some of us like to live a little." Riven had to put the girl down for this. She did so, and stood right up to Talon.

"I get that you have no respect for authority. I've learned to accept that in these past few weeks. But you will not insult my honor as a soldier again. Understand?" Talon considered her closely.

"Screw that, partner. Like I need some uptight bitch ordering me around anyway. I work better alone." Riven wanted to yell. To finally put him in his place. But thought better of it. She would regain her composure. She picked up the girl and turned away from Talon.

"Sorry, I was such burden to you." With that, she walked away. She decided to not even look back.

As she thought back to that day, she wondered exactly what made it a happy memory. They now existed in a weird half partnership. She thought about quitting the Crimson Elite. But she knew the General would never allow it. And despite that, she would still do her duty. In the end, she had saved a girls life though. Perhaps that was why she looked fondly on it. Her name was Samira. Riven had kept her around during her recovery. It was a long process. Talon hadn't said anything yet. And it seemed he didn't actually plan on it. Riven couldn't tell if that made it better or worse.

"You look distressed, Riven." A voice cut through her thoughts. A man was walking on her left. He had dark brown skin and long dreadlocks tied behind his head. His eyes were a dark brown with a scar under the left eye. Riven eyes widened. It was the boy who had given her, her first kiss nearly ten years ago. She had seen him since then but this was the first time they had spoken since that day. Riven wasn't sure what to say. "I know, it's crazy. How long has it been?" He continued.

"Ten years I think."

"Has it really been that long?" He smiled at her and she smiled back. He looked good and she was glad he hadn't been killed in some far off campaign. But for him to be here, now. Seemed like the perfect storm of convenience.

"Why are you here, Taral?" Riven asked. He looked away as if considering his answer.

"I heard the General was moving some forces through the desert. Sounds like command is looking for something out here. I knew only the most dedicated would volunteer. Which of course meant, you would be here."

"You came for me?"

"In a manner of speaking. Despite…what happened before I still missed working with you."

"I missed you too, I'm sorry about, you know." He smiled at her again.

"It was ten years ago. I think I'll survive." He looked her over. Riven knew the look. At least some of it was admiration. She tried to ignore it. Mostly because she was doing the same thing. "I notice your armor is unique, save tall, white, and sullen over there." Taral pointed over in Talon's direction. "What's the story there?" Riven ventured a glance over to Talon who seemed oblivious. She sighed deeply.

"He's my partner…sort of." Taral raised his eyebrow. Sensing his confusion, Riven pushed him out of Talon's earshot. "We're having some issues at the moment. And I admit that I don't know how to fix them." She decided to tell him the story. Perhaps a fresh perspective would help.

Taral just nodded as the story ended. "So that's Talon then? I've heard the stories about how…efficient he is." Riven bet he wanted to say ruthless or terrifying but thought better of them. "But I have to admit, despite his behavior, it sounds like he acted like an assassin. Not only that but he had your back. And he followed your orders. Despite the fact that he did what he did."

"That's an interesting way to look at the situation."

"I'm just saying that it sounds like he's someone you can count on. And that's important for any partnership". Taral looked away from Riven off into the distance. "More on that later. Looks like we're stopping." Riven looked up and saw the unit slowing down. A man had come from the town and was speaking to the General. Though, Riven was too far back to hear much. Swain was nodding to the man who then seemed to direct them inside. Looks like they were headed in.

* * *

Talon looked over at Riven speaking with some soldier and found himself clenching his fist. He wasn't sure why. Just like he wasn't sure why he standing out in the desert during a military operation. He remembered talking to Katarina and how she was volunteering for the mission. Apparently Noxus was looking for something important. But he didn't care about that. All she had to do was mention that Riven would be here and it was as if some invisible force took him over.

In truth, he didn't feel all that bad about what happened. He simply did what he did best. But no, always the nagging. Don't kill this person. Don't kill that person. It was very annoying. But yet he had followed orders. Again, a surprise. If it had been anyone else, he doubted he would have listened. Then again, she would have been the only one who said _not_ to kill somebody. Perhaps that was why he did it. Variety is the spice of life they say…

No, that wasn't it. It was something else. He could see it. He just wasn't sure what to call it. He must have had an overly obvious thinking face because a voice cut through his thoughts.

"Is that your thinking face, Master Talon?" Talon didn't face the voice.

"How many times do I need to tell you, Gray? It's just Talon." Grey walked in front of his stride. She was shorter than him by a head and a half. She had piercing green eyes that complimented the dark green of her hair. She was quite thin, not the thin built on muscle that he was used to from most women in Noxus. But her defining feature was her deep gray skin. Most people would ask why that was but Talon didn't care enough for that.

"Right," She began. "I'll take note of that." Gray, called as such, not by her skin color but by the fact that her name was Grace, or so Talon joked. She looked over to where Talon gazed and nodded her head. "Do I detect a hint of jealousy?" Talon stared blankly.

"Don't be an idiot. If my partner wasn't talking to another soldier, I would think something was wrong with her."

"You know, I've never heard you use her name before. What's up with that?"

"I know you have orders to hang around, but that doesn't mean you need to buzz around my ears." It was true. Gray had orders from Swain himself to stick around. Penance for their first mission being a partial failure. She was apparently some kind of adviser of something. Again, Talon didn't care enough to actually find out.

"As your adviser," _Oh, guess that answers that question._ "I would advise you fix whatever it is that you're going through at the moment."

"Maybe." Talon stated.

"When are you going to give her the-," Talon grabbed Gray by the collar and pulled her close to his face.

"Not another word. You may be my adviser but I have no qualms about sticking you." He let her go and she raised her arms in surrender.

"If you're going to be this nasty, maybe I'll go talk to Master Vlad." A shiver ran down Talon's spine. Something that almost never happened. He had almost forgotten that somewhere in this crowd was Vladimir. People called Talon a monster. Those people didn't know about this guy. He was apparently some kind of asset. But one that Talon knew to avoid as soon as he first met him. Every time he was near, Talon wanted to just cut his throat. Do the world a favor.

"Ah, Gray. So naïve." Talon wrapped his arm around the girls shoulder. "I don't care much for you but I have just enough decency to tell you that Vlad over there is bad news. Like, the worst news. If you'd like to live through the day, I'd suggest staying away." With that he let go and Gray just stared at him. She shrugged but said nothing as it seemed the group was going to be stopping for the moment.

It seemed to Talon that this stop was a bit of a waste of time. But he had to admit that he preferred it to actually walking. The town they had come across wasn't anything special at face value, but it had enough tavern space to hold all the regular soldiers. Seemed everyone wanted a break. Talon wanted to join the crowd and just sit. However, like always he was dragged into something else.

Apparently this place's main attraction was held in some kind of theater. And the Noxian military was here at just the right time to see it. Talon had no interest but at the insistence of Gray he decided he's better join in. If nothing else, it would be more comfortable inside.

It was quite the grand theater, even Talon had to admit that. The halls were lined with nobles suited in the finest clothes. The walls were lined with some pictures of what he assumed were the actors or the people who funded the building. That's usually how it was with these places. He'd assassinated plenty of stuffed shirts in places like this. He followed the Noxian crowd until he entered the theater proper. He had to admit, even that was quite a sight.

He had seen larger theaters before but this one went for quality before quantity. The seats were all leather and the stage was wide, with a divider looking like it was made out of silk. A few people had taken their seats but many still lulled about, talking about whatever it was that nobles spoke of. Gray lead him to the seating area. He could see off to the side that Swain, Vlad and Darius, as well a few others were being lead to a privacy box near the top of the theater. That made him smile. He could walk away without notice. As he turned ever so slightly on his heel it was as if Gray sensed his hesitation. She hooked her arm with his. "That seat's perfect!" She yelled as she dragged him to the seating rows. He sighed but accepted his fate.

She sat him down near the middle of the theater, without unhooking her arm. Almost like he would leave given the chance. Which was totally true, so he didn't blame her. He patted one of his pockets and immediately remembered they had confiscated his weapons. All except his wrist blade. Of course they wouldn't have known about it. And it felt better to have a weapon on hand. Literally.

He looked over and saw Riven sitting only a few chairs away. She was with that same soldier from before and they were laughing about something. He must have been making a face because Gray spoke up. "You're making that face again." He wordlessly looked to her.

"This is my normal face, Gray." She shook her head.

"Why don't you just go talk to her? You're still partners." Talon smiled as he leaned back in his chair.

"Once again, Gray, you show your ignorance of how I operate. I will handle my partner at the right time, and not one moment before." She scowled at him.

"Fine. Have it your way. I'm going to find the ladies room. Don't you dare leave." With that, Gray stood up and made her way through the now mostly filled seats before she was lost in the crowd. Talon looked back over to his partner. She was looking forward but must have noticed his stare as she turned to face him. She smiled an awkward smile and he nodded in return. Progress.

He sat for a second staring at the empty stage, lost in thought before a voice cut through his thoughts. "This seat taken?" Came a mans voice he didn't recognize. He turned towards the sound.

"Actually it's-,"

"Great!" The man sat next to him and stared straight at him. He had pale skin and slanted eyes. His hair was black and spiked up. He had a wicked scar over his left eye and an equally wicked grin. Talon leaned away from the man a bit.

"Can I help you?" The man blinked a few times.

"Oh, of course. This is embarrassing. You don't recognize me do you?"

"No, should I?" The man shook his head a few times.

"How disappointing. I told myself if I ever saw you again I would have to speak to you. I'll give you a hint. Piltover. About…seven years ago now." Talon raised his eyebrow as he tried to think back. He wasn't sure about why but as he thought something did seem similar about the man. Before he could voice the question forming in his head, the light in the room began to dim. "Oh, well. Seems we're out of time. Time to get this show on the road." The man stood up and began to walk away but turned back to Talon one last time.

"One last hint," The man continued. "Last time we spoke you told me that your blade always finds its mark." The man traced a circle with his finger around his heart. "Guess that was all talk. Enjoy the show Talon." With that, the man walked away. Then it clicked. Suddenly it had gotten a lot hotter in the theater. Gray returned to her seat and began to speak with Talon. But he ignored her words. His mind raced. He looked to the patrons scattered around the theater. His hands clenched as his eyes darted back and forth. It was impossible. _They_ were here in the room and he walked right into their clutches.

* * *

Riven was glad the show was starting. It was rare that she ever went to shows but she always enjoyed them when she did. She wasn't aware the General had been a fan of the theater yet somehow it made perfect sense.

A man walked out onto the stage under a searchlight. A microphone was placed center stage and he began to speak into it. "Alright, I hope everyone is having a great afternoon. I know why you're all here, so I won't waste any time explaining. Ladies and gentlemen, let's give a round of applause to our leading ladies, The Battle Bunnies!"

"Yeah, bring out the girls!" The voice was a mans but one Riven didn't recognize. Though it was loud enough that she had to see who yelled it. To her shock, it wasn't a man at all. Sitting in its own private booth was a large figure made out of what looked like green goo. It had a face and a mouth but it resembled a human only in shape. She should have been more surprised but she could tell it was a creature from Zaun. A putrid city that Noxus had long ago allied itself with. The worst creatures in Valoran seemed to come from there. Riven shook her head and returned her attention to the stage.

The curtain spread slowly and in spite of the darkness, Riven could make out the forms of a group of about ten women standing in a line. As the lights illuminated the stage area she got a full glance at them. Something in the pit of her stomach sank. All the women on stage were dressed in a very revealing suit made to look like that of a bunny. That was, if a bunny could be described by a furry tail, long ears and revealing cleavage.

She found her eyes drifting over to glance at Taral. His eyes mostly. A stupid attempt to gage his enjoyment of the sight. As a band began playing a tune and the women started to dance, Riven continued to glance back and forth from Taral to the stage. She cursed herself as she felt like a far more naïve girl had taken over her body. As a rule, this form of entertainment had its uses. Moral boosting, brotherhood building. For that reason, she couldn't completely dismiss it. Still, it felt strange to observe such a thing.

As the show continued, Riven found herself getting at least some enjoyment out of it. The girls were very talented. It's clear the town had put a lot of effort into this production. She cracked a smile as one of the ladies pulled off a flip and ended with a pose that accentuated her curves. An action that had everyone else cheering in the way that begged for more.

A few more songs passed before they made the announcement that they would be heading into a fifteen minute intermission. Taral was the first to break the silence. "Well, what did you think of that? I imagine you didn't enjoy it too much."

"Whatever would make you say that?" Riven said, trying to sound upbeat.

"Well you spent half the show looking at me. I think that counts for something." He smiled, a cocky smile she remembered from back during training days. Back then, it used to annoy her but now it made her feel something else…

"By the way, Taral, what have you been up to these last ten years? You can't have just stayed infantry all this time." Taral scratched his chin.

"You're right. I didn't stay infantry. Though I have to admit I was a bit tempted. It's easier that way. You follow orders and you fight bad guys. But you also get killed first." He looked off in the distance as if he was remembering something. "A few years back, my unit and I were sent into a skirmish with Demacia. Before all this League business stopped the fighting."

The League of Legends. Everyone had heard of it. It was almost impossible not to at this point. Especially since the General and most of his elite guard were members. To be in the League was the highest honor. Wars were waged on the Fields of Justice. A place where only the strongest faced each other in combat. Every disagreement could be disputed in the League. A war without death. Riven had considered joining herself, but her duties kept her too busy.

Taral continued. "We were sent into an ambush. Plain and simple. We were told a place to go and a time but nothing else. Guess I should have seen it coming. The Demacians were on us too quickly. We didn't have time to adjust or strategize. It was…a massacre." Riven could see the pain on his face, though he tried to hide it. Clearly it was an old wound. Mostly healed but not fully.

"After that, I decided to stop just taking orders. My mother is a colonel. She pulled some strings for me, I must admit. But in the end, I was granted the Black Wolves. We mostly do intelligence but when a fight needs fighting, we're there." He ended with that smile again. Riven had heard of the Black Wolves. A small but efficient group that made a point to stay in the shadows. But every time she had heard that the Black Wolves were gathering intelligence, she knew it was going to be good day for Noxus.

"Good for you, Taral. I knew you'd be something great, even back then." He looked at her and smirked.

"Enough about me. What's been going on with you? I've never seen your uniform before."

"It's not something I think I can talk about. Honestly, it's more trouble than it's worth. But I live to serve. As I always had before." Taral looked her in the eyes as if he was trying to read what she was thinking. His deep brown eyes seemed to pull color into them as if they were an abyss.

"I know the feeling," He said as he leaned back in his chair. "You ever think about getting out?" Riven blinked. The question blindsided her. But before she could respond, she felt a tap on her shoulder.

She turned and found a man standing before her. He was well cut and clean shaven. He wore a suit with a name tag Riven couldn't read. "Mistress Riven, the owner of the establishment would like to speak with you for a moment. If you'd please follow me?" The man bowed his head and motioned her away from the seats. She turned back to Taral who just shrugged.

"What does he want?" The man blinked a few times.

"T'would be easier to show you rather than explain it. Now, if you'd please?" He motioned again.

"Very well." She stood up and followed the man.

* * *

Talon had seen Riven walk backstage but after five minutes she hadn't returned. He was getting antsy. While he knew that something was going to happen, pinning down the when was far more difficult. He'd lost sight of the man who'd approached him before. But he couldn't just start walking around the theater looking for him. And he found it far too unlikely that the man had come alone. So that lead him to wonder who here was affiliated and who wasn't. Everyone was possibly involved. And as he looked to the few Noxian soldiers in the audience he didn't find much hope if it came to blows.

A woman to his right moved her hand as if she were to swat a fly and Talon found himself almost bringing out his hidden blade. He knew things were getting out of hand.

"Talon?" He jumped slightly and turned back to Gray and took a deep breath. "Are you alright?"

He looked around again. "Gray, I need you to do something for me." She looked quizzically at him. "Head to the bathroom. Don't leave."

"What, why?" Talon placed his hand over her mouth.

"You ask too many questions. Just listen. You want to live don't you?" Gray widened her eyes. Talon couldn't tell if she thought she was threatening her or if she could feel the weight of his words. Regardless, she stood up and walked away. Talon decided he should go look for Riven next.

He made his way to the edge of the room just as the curtain began to open once again, signaling the end of the intermission. Talon glanced back expecting to see a horde of scantily clad women about to do more dancing but instead one man stood in the center of the stage. The man walked center stage to a microphone placed there. As the man moved closer Talon saw his face. _I guess I shouldn't be surprised._ Talon thought as the man from earlier spoke into the mic.

"How's everybody doing?" The man said with feigned excitement. The crowd responded with claps and a few cheers, as if this man was now part of the show. "Now I know," The man continued. "That all of you are looking forward to more girls. And believe me, we'll be getting back to that really soon. But before we do," The man smiled a grim smile. One full of malice. "I'd like to play you my favorite song." Another man actually pushed a piano from the back of the stage to the center. Talon shifted uncomfortably. He should have continued forward to Riven but he knew he should see what the man was going to do.

He sat at the piano and looked towards the crowd. "I'd like to dedicate this song to the general of the Noxian army. I know he's sitting up there. Let's give him a round of applause!" The crowd responded in kind, completely oblivious to the nature of the man.

The first keystroke rang through the halls with a reverb that Talon was almost certain was in his own head. Sweat dripped from his brow and his hands clenched tight. Then came the next keystroke. One became two and two became ten. After a moment the man was stringing together a line of keys, creating a admittedly beautiful song. It almost made Talon miss the first stabbing. Sure enough, on the other side of the hall sat one of the Noxian honor guard. Or more accurately there was a member. Talon just barely made out the image of a blade going through a mans chest. The action went unnoticed and Talon imagined that was due to the show on stage.

Riven's voice rang in his head. _Go save them! Protect the General!_ He imagined her saying. But there wasn't time to get them from here. He needed to make sure the one person he cared about was safe. He turned to back entrance and ran as quick as he could. Inside, he chided himself. Could this stupid soldier really be his priority? His own "sister" was out there. The assassin's could get her next. _She'll be fine._ Talon thought to himself. He just needed to get his partner.

The back of the theater was a maze of rooms. He thought he would hear some of the performers from before talking in the back. He thought he'd heard people walking around, preparing for the next act. Neither of those things was heard. In fact the place seemed eerily quiet. Talon had killed enough people during plays to know where the primary rooms would sit. He crept quietly from place to place. He knew he'd need the element of surprise of her were to face any assassins.

The first few rooms were empty. A curious sight but not an unexpected one. He wouldn't be surprised if they were all dead already. But as he opened one door, he was met with the muffled cries of a dozen young women. They all cried underneath their gags and moved closer together. Or at least as close as their restraints would allow. For a moment, he just considered walking away. Riven wasn't among them and if she was, they would likely already be free. But then he imagined telling her he had left them there and her never letting him hear the end of it. The thought alone drove him nuts.

He slowly approached and they all cried a bit more. He put a finger to his mouth and kneeled in front of the closest one. "Stay here. It's about to get bloody." Admittedly he probably could have chosen his words better because as soon as he extended his hidden blade the cries increased as loud as he could. But he didn't have time for that. He cut the ropes and immediately stood to leave. He was wasting time here.

He picked through a few more doors. No Riven. But no assassin's either. He cursed in his mind when he realized that meant one of only a few things. None of them good, but it was likely that they were all in the crowd. He took his anger out on the next door by kicking it open. What he saw inside may have been the most horrible thing yet.

The two people inside both snapped their heads to the doorway. One was a man who Talon could have sworn was involved with the production. The director or the owner or something. He'd seen him walking around earlier and his clothes spoke of someone high class. But the other individual was Riven. Though Talon almost couldn't believe it. Instead of her usual military attire she instead wore a set of bunny ears on her head as well as the skin tight top and bottoms of the performers. Her face was flush with red as soon as she realized it was Talon in the doorway. She hugged herself in a feeble attempt to cover her exposed body. "Talon this is…" She trailed off. Talon wanted to laugh. Like, actually laugh but he knew he didn't have time.

"Partner, I have many thoughts right now. However, none of them I have time for." He walked over to Riven and grabbed her by the wrist. He expected her to resist his pull but she let it happen. It must have been the slightly more serious tone to his voice.

"What's happening, Talon?"

"Short version, a group of men are going to kill Swain. We're going to kill them first." Talon turned to see her expression. Perhaps she would ask another question, but she didn't. She steeled her expression and let Talon lead her. It was time to get to work.

* * *

Talon had greatly under exaggerated the display to which Riven found herself currently viewing. She had hastily explained that the owner of the building had just _really_ wanted a painting of "Noxus's most prized soldier" in the outfit of the establishment, Riven found it hard to say no. He was very insistent. Following that, Talon had repeated his poor reasoning for the danger. Perhaps he expected whatever piano display he had explained to continue. But whatever was going on, Riven heard it long before she saw it. And when she did see it, it was pandemonium.

Men and women screamed both in panic and what Riven recognized as the howl of death across the entire hall. Some of the people were dressed in the obvious garb of an assassin. She could tell because it reminded her of Talon's clothes. But some other people held weapons while still dressed in formal attire. It must have been part of the tactic. "Okay, partner," Talon began. "Go grab your sword. They kept them in a closet near the front. But just in case, take this." Talon detached the hidden blade from his wrist and handed it to her. "Hurry up, I'm going to want that back." Before she could respond, he ran off to join the fray. Riven looked at the wrist mounted blade. _What am I to do with this?_ She wondered. It was an awkward thing but she had to admit she had made do with worse. She quickly focused on her task and ran forward.

It turned out the blade was a good call. She met up with two people who sought to do her harm. As assassin's she had no qualms about taking their lives, and she imagined Talon was enjoying his new freedom do to them not working together anymore.

As she found the door and drew her massive sword from within, she couldn't help but remember how he'd called her "partner" twice already. She felt a tiny pang in her stomach at the thought. What it was from wasn't important right now. What was important was protecting the General. And Taral.

The scene remained unchanged. She looked to whoever held a weapon and wasn't a Noxian soldier. It also helped that they weren't running. She cut a swath through the opposition. Most crumpled before her blade. She spotted Talon off in the distance killing a man what she imagined was someone else's knife. "Talon!" She yelled over the crowd. He turned for just a moment to acknowledge the call. She heaved the wrist blade in his direction. She could have sworn a smirk crossed his face as he caught it.

Next step was getting to the General. Though as she looked over, there wasn't much to be concerned with. He was against one of the far walls, as blank faced as he always was. He was surrounded on almost all sides by Noxians. Taral and a few soldiers stood around him as well as the mountain man, Darius, the scarlet haired killer, Katarina, that blood manipulator Vlad and the dead man brought to life, Urgot. Most of the display of men Riven detested. Honor-less men and women who stood for nothing but bloodshed. Especially Urgot, he was a constant reminder that ones oath to Noxus never ends. Even in death.

Another assassin approached from behind her. She quickly jumped on a table. The fact that she could with such ease despite the weight of her sword must have surprised her as Riven prepared her swing. She could have sworn she saw a flash of light as she brought the sword down but she couldn't be sure. She must have cut an interesting figure wearing the outfit she was. She turned on the table to see three more men approach. She was about to make short work of them when a large green blob smashed into them from the side. The blob bounced in her vision for a moment before turning into the man shaped creature she saw before. He gave her a gooey thumbs up and winked at her. "Don't worry, babe. I'll get your number later." With that the blob bounced away. Riven shook her head and went to join her companions.

She cut her way through the crowd until she stood between Taral and Darius. Darius barely acknowledge her return but Taral couldn't resist. "Nice of you to join us. I assume you were auditioning back there?" As he said it he looked her up and down. Lingering in certain places longer than he should. He heart beat just a tad faster because of it.

"Just doing my duty as always." She said trying to be funny. Looking up only in brief cuts of the action, Riven saw Talon facing off with another assassin. This one seemed to be far more skilled than the others. And Riven could tell that they were having a conversation during the fight but couldn't for the life of her imagine what they were discussing. She had to focus on protecting the General. And that was all that mattered.

More blood was shed. More than Riven had hoped for on this mission but after what seemed like an eternity the fighting was over. Talon stood over the dead body of the assassin he faced. If the battle affected him, he didn't show it. From there, it was just a matter of cleaning up the stragglers. An action which some of her companions were far too eager about. Taral wrapped his arm around her shoulder. "I see you haven't missed a beat since the old days. Let's get a drink when we get back to Noxus alright?"

"Sure. I'd love to." Riven said, a bit too eagerly. Though he didn't seem to notice. She took a deep breath before coming to the realization that the mission wasn't over. This whole deal had been a detour. The thought made her exhausted. But something told her the hard part was over.

* * *

Three days later, Talon looked upon the reason they had gone out into that stupid desert. Inside the capital city lab a young man sat floating in a vat of liquid. Though Talon wasn't even sure it really was a man. He _looked_ similar to one but his skin was all grey with tattoos sprouting from his chest to his arms and legs, as well as the small horn sticking out of his forehead. Talon shrugged and walked out into the now snow filled streets.

He was colder than he thought he'd be as he threw a scarf around his neck. He walked along the road watching as people were putting up Snowdown decorations. It was only a week away. He clutched the small box in his coat pocket as he kept walking.

He thought back to the fight in the theater. The man who had escaped being killed before. It was a job from a few years back. Piltover if he recalled correctly. Nothing out of the ordinary about the job itself but the man himself. It turned out to be a recruitment. Or it would have been if Talon hadn't killed them all. Apparently the man wasn't familiar with what happened to those in Talon's past. He had stabbed the man through the heart before. Apparently he had been revived with a hextech device of some kind. A device that replicated normal heart functions. He had ended up tearing out the fake heart this time. He knew the scientists would make want to develop something with it.

A voice cut though his thinking. "Talon, wait up." He turned back to see Gray running up to him. _Great._

"What's up, Gray?" He said as laid back as he could. She smiled at him.

"I just wanted to wish you a happy Snowdown., that's all." He nodded.

"Thanks." He turned and began to walk away but she wasn't quite done yet.

"Did you give it to her yet?" Talon froze in place. He clutched the box in his pocket again. "I'll take that as a no." Talon turned back to her.

"I told you before: It's not your business." She scowled at him.

"You know, if you're sorry, maybe you should just say sorry." Talon scowled back for a moment and turned away.

"Have a good Snowdown, kid." With that he walked away without looking back. To his surprise he had a smirk on his face.

Before he reached the door he was looking for he saw a poster plastered on a snow covered wall. It depicted Riven standing atop a circular table with her massive sword pointed off in the distance. Her likeness wore the attire of the performance they had witnessed. The poster read: "Even a Battle Bunny can pick up a sword! Join the military today!" Talon chuckled every time he saw one of those. They had been popping up all over the city since they returned despite Riven tearing all down that she saw.

He walked up to his target door and took a deep breath. Damn, this should be the easy part. _You kill for a living!_ He raised his arm and knocked a few times. A moment later the door opened but it wasn't who he was expecting. Instead of Riven, he saw the young girl they had rescued from the fighting ring. She and Talon just stared at each other for a moment. "Uh, you're not who I expected." The girl said nothing.

"Thank you, Sam. I'll handle this." The young girl nodded and walked out of sight. Riven entered the doorway and raised her eyebrows at Talon. "Oh, Talon. How unexpected." She wore a brown sweater and wool pants, always a surprising sight for Talon. "What do you want?" She said in a way that was stern but he could tell she was just trying not to be awkward.

"I…uh," He fumbled for the words. _Stupid._ "I came to give you something." He reached into his pocket and grabbed the box. It was crumpled from all his clutching. Riven stared at the box. She looked from the box to Talon a few times before she took it. He said nothing as she slowly opened the box. Her gaze turned from confusion to genuine surprise as she pulled out a necklace. The string was nothing to look at but attached to the end was a glowing piece of dark rock. It was cut into a jagged U shape with a symbol in the center. It read "Honor" in the old language.

"Talon…where did you get this? It's beautiful." She immediately placed it around her neck.

"I had it made. A few weeks back actually. I found the man who made your sword. Paid him a pretty penny to get that made. I meant to give it to you during the mission but…" He trailed off.

"Well, I love it. I'm sorry, I didn't get you anything, I didn't really think about it." She looked back inside. "Hey, Taral, Sam and I were just about to have some hot chocolate. Why don't you come inside and grab a cup?" Talon raised an eyebrow. _Are she and Taral an item now?_ He guessed it didn't matter. Good for her actually.

"No, no." He said in response. "I shouldn't. I gotta get back to doing what I do." He wasn't really sure what he meant by that. Honestly he just wanted to say goodbye. He was feeling too many emotions for his own liking. She looked a bit disappointed with his response. He turned away but decided to say one last thing. "Hey, Partner, I just want to-," He didn't get a chance to continue. Before he knew it, she had wrapped her arms around his torso and squeezed tightly. He wasn't sure he had ever received a hug from the back like this one before.

"I'm sorry, Talon. About before." Talon widened his eyes. Was she apologizing to him? It seemed impossible. "I judged you. Harshly. It wasn't fair. You're my partner. And we need to accept one another." She slowly started to move her hands but Talon grabbed at her hands with one of his and clutched it tightly.

"I'm sorry too." He couldn't risk saying more. That alone was probably going to cause her head to explode. For a moment, they stood there with the snow falling on them. His normal instinct would not have let him show this kind of affection. But maybe, just maybe this one time he would allow himself. It was Snowdown after all.

* * *

Okay, I hoped you enjoyed that. It was longer than I thought it would be so I hope I could keep you interested the whole time. As always I appreciate any feedback on my writing. See you next time.


	3. Crimson Twilight

_We're winding down with this., hope you enjoy the penultimate chapter._

* * *

 _You're too close._ Those words rang again and again in Talon's head as he drifted to sleep. Riven wordlessly sat next to him as the train raced along the track. When sleep finally embraced him it was a restless sleep. It seemed like seconds before his mind was enveloped in a dream.

He wakes up mid-motion. He's running down a street. Voices echo behind him but he already knows he'll be in the clear soon. He looks to his right and smiles. His partner quickly catches up with him and they share a glance before hurrying further down the road.

The two of them bound a corner and hide behind a stack of unused crates. The voices approach but quickly dissipate as they head further down the street. Talon looks to his partner, the two of them out of breath. "Thought I lost you there, Kevyn." Talon blurts out in as gruff of a voice as a twelve year old can muster. Kevyn pants a few breaths before looking to Talon.

"You have no faith, Talon." Kevyn reaches into his back pocket and pulls out a brown cylinder. "I had to go back for these." Kevyn unrolls the bundle. A gleam pierces Talon's vision despite the dark clouds above. It can only speak to the quality of the twin knives in the package. They were beautiful things. Immaculate metal with designs Talon had no idea about. The sight of them should have filled him with excitement. Instead, all he felt was dread.

"What do you think? Awesome, right?" Talon slowly turned to meet Kevyn's eyes.

"How many times do we have to go over this? We only take the gold! Anything else, we're just putting targets on our backs." Kevyn was taken aback.

"Are you serious, man? This gets us twice what we stole back there. Maybe even more."

"You think I don't know that?! You think I don't want to take everything I see? There are rules. We only take what's necessary. Any more than that and we're toast." Kevyn folds the knives back in a bundle and shakes his head.

"You're crazy. We need to take whatever we can. I don't know about you but I'd like to eat tonight. So I'll take what I want." Talon eyed him but Kevyn wasn't done yet. "Plus, I think we can shake a few more gold pieces out with these things. People will see these babies and start throwing money at us." Talon remained silent. His eardrums pounded in his head. Kevyn was always pulling stuff like this. If it wasn't one screw up it was something else.

"You know what, you're right." Kevyn turned to Talon in disbelief. Talon smiled at him before he continued. "Let me see one of those knives. We can each have one." Kevyn bobbed his head as if he was pleased with Talon's response. He unrolled the cylinder and grabbed a knife to give to Talon. He kept his pleased expression all the way until Talon's knife entered his throat. Then it became some weird combo between confusion and horror. Talon kept his face blank as he caught Kevyn's body and lowered it to the ground. Blood coated the knife as Kevyn tried desperately to speak. To find some sense of explanation.

"I really am sorry about this, Kevyn." That was all Talon managed to say before his friends eyes glazed over. "You were becoming a problem. I can't survive out here with screw-up's like this one." Talon quickly retrieved the other knife and the gold Kevyn managed to steal. He left the body there and never looked back. That had been Talon's first brush with death. It had been far from the last.

Talon slowly opened his eyes, His neck ached as his head sat a strange angle. He moved his eyes to the object he was perched on and almost jumped when he realized he had been resting on Riven's shoulder. He must have drifted to it in his sleep. And she had allowed it. _You're too close._ The words rang again. His dream about Kevyn had proved he was correct. It was time for him to admit it to himself. He actually cared about Riven. The thought made him laugh. It had been quite a while since he'd felt anything like it.

"Laughing in your sleep, or do you find this situation funny?" Riven asked. Talon shifted his body so that the back of his head rested on her shoulder as he propped his legs on the train wall.

"Just wondering why you let me keep my head here is all." She took a deep breath before she responded, as if she was readying herself for what she was about to say.

"I guess that's just what friends do." Talon heard the words. He was sure he had. Yet, he couldn't believe them. He remained still as a strange sensation seemed to fill his stomach.

"Friends, huh?" That was all he could say. He didn't want to express the thoughts in his head.

"You don't sound too happy about that. Are we not?"

"I don't…I haven't exactly been called that by anyone in a long time. Honestly, I'm not sure how I feel about it. Even if I did, I don't know if I've been a friend to you."

"Well, we've been working together for a while now. You got me this necklace. You spent two hours helping me take down those stupid Battle Bunny posters the other day. Seems pretty friend like to me." Riven said with a smile.

"So I've done stuff for you. What have you done for me lately?" Talon tried to add as much sarcasm as he could muster with that. Apparently, it was enough for Riven.

"I guess I owe you." There was a silence before Riven asked another question. "So, you've had no one to call a friend? What about your sisters?" Talon took a moment to consider his answer.

"The last real friend I had was a long time ago. I killed him. So clearly _that_ didn't end well."

"You killed him?!" Riven said, moving slightly further from Talon.

"Yeah. I was twelve. He was a screw-up. That's not important right now. In regard to my 'sisters,' it's complicated." Riven moved back to her original position, allowing Talon to return to his comfortable position.

"You might as well tell me. We've got time." Talon scoffed but continued anyway.

"I guess. Kat and I used to hate each other. When I first moved in with her family we were always fighting. But that was the only way we could connect. Once, the two of us had been in pretty bad fight. I knocked out one of her teeth but she broke one of my toes. So there we both are, bloody and beaten. And then we both just start laughing. It was crazy, I still don't know what we were laughing about. Or, what we were fighting about. After that, we got along."

Riven laughed a bit herself. Apparently she saw that as a "Talon" action. "You always talk about Katarina. What about your other sister?"

"Cass is…a snake."

"That's not very nice to say about your sister."

"It's not an insult. She actually got cursed a few years ago. She has a snake tail instead of legs."

"Gods, that's horrible!"

"It's more annoying than anything. She spits venom when she sneezes! I've lost three coats to that shit. Aside from that, she was always nicer to me that Kat was. Though, if you knew her, you'd think it was an act. It probably was. These days she just lies in bed with a blindfold over her eyes. Her stare can literally turn you to stone." What was happening to him? He'd never opened up like this to anyone outside of the family before. It felt refreshing. It also felt dangerous. _You're too close._

"I think I'm jealous." Riven said with a smirk. Talon moved his head off her shoulder and stared at her. "It's true. In your own way, I can tell you actually care about them. It's just not something I'd ever expect from you. I never had any siblings myself. When I was younger, I was glad for it. No competition. But now, sometimes I wish I had one. A younger sister or something would be nice."

"What about your parents?"

"Alive, if that's what you're asking. I see them every few weeks. But we aren't close." She looked at Talon's blank expression. "I'm sorry. Here I am, talking about my parents. I know you grew up without a family."

"The streets made me stronger, that's all that matters." Riven frowned at him but said nothing. She leaned back in her chair. Talon decided not to further the discussion. The sound of excited voices signaled their arrival anyway.

The train slowed to a halt. The two of them exited into a crowded station with people walking frantically to the exits. The energy was palpable, even Talon found himself getting excited.

"So, partner, what happens now?" Riven turned to him with a quizzical glare.

"What do you mean?"

"I've never been to something like this. Unless it was for…business." It took Riven a moment before her expression changed. Clearly, she understood.

"Well, for your first official, non-business, Lunar Revel, we need to do something about your outfit." Talon scowled.

"What's wrong with my outfit?" Riven looked over his rather plain attire, a button up purple shirt, with a black coat and matching pants. Talon thought he was dressed nicer than usual.

Nothing's wrong per say…" Riven looked him over again. "It's just not very festive. Look at what I'm wearing." Talon looked her over. She wore her short white hair looser than usual, as well as a silk black dress that flowed to her thighs. She had black leggings and an assortment of golden bracelets. She even managed to not bring her sword with her. That was the most shocking part.

Riven grabbed Talon's arm. "Come on, let's get you something nice." She began to drag him away. For the first time in as long as he could remember, Talon felt warmness in his stomach.

* * *

Riven always enjoyed the Lunar Revel. It was one of her few days in a year where she felt as though her duty was lifted. It wasn't often she got to be a citizen. _Or at least, feel like a citizen._ The night sky was filled with starts in a way one couldn't see back in the capital.

The town they entered was filled with people celebrating. It was a costal place, with rivers flowing from a nearby forest into the wider ocean. Paper lanterns hung from most nearby roofs, emitting a dim but beautiful light across town. She could hear flutes in the distance as she approached a nearby shop. It took a bit of haggling but she was able to buy Talon a new shirt at least. It was a sleeveless silk blue with purple trimmings. Complete with a circular purple dragon on the back. He had stared at it for a moment before giving a sarcastic chuckle. Surprisingly, he put it on.

Riven was glad he was here. Though, even that thought surprised her. It was rare that they saw each other outside of work but when they did, she felt better. It had actually been Taral's idea for her to truly befriend him. Riven had to admit that the necklace was a nice gesture. Nicer than she had ever expected from him. She promised herself that she'd return the favor. She turned to him. "First thing about the Lunar Revel: Every year you have to watch the Valoran Players telling of the, Golden Warrior and the Shadows of Darkness." Talon sighed.

"I have to watch a play? Snooze. Where's the booze?" He started to look around the area.

"You don't _have_ to. You _get_ to. Come on, it's going to start soon!" She grabbed his arm again. Riven being much stronger than Talon meant he couldn't escape now anyway.

Riven dragged him over to a small theatre area where they quickly found seats. She looked over at Talon, who looked miserable but made no attempt to leave. The ushers blew out the surrounding candles and the story began.

Everyone knew the story. It was part of Valoran's history. She imagined, even Talon knew it, despite his upbringing. One of the best parts about this whole event was the way it unified everyone, and this story is part of that reason. Riven noted a few people who looked Demacian in this crowd. Conflict was forgotten on this occasion. Just another reason to be excited.

There was an age when darkness smothered all hope.

A traveler arrived, late into that twilight hour, bearing with him the first light of dawn.

 _Legend tells of a land choked to darkness under the grip of two feel queens,_

 _Their sigils wolf and serpent._

 _A traveler arrived on one grey morning and beheld and ancient evil under the pale queens' mortal disguises._

 _Revealing his own true form, the traveler shattered their porcelain shells, exposing the blackened spirits within._

 _The three fought a brutal battle, crashing into the violent sea and out of sight, save for the echoing flashes of the wanderer's light._

 _As the new day broke, the forgotten glow of dawn speared the fading clouds and the last year became the next._

 _Though the dark still lurked beyond every doused flame, the people no longer feared the night._

 _The traveler had brought radiant hope with the rising dawn._

The curtains lifted from the stage and the ushers re-lit all of the paper lanterns. The crowd stood in ovation, with Riven quickly joining them. She cracked a smile when Talon stood as well. Though she could tell he begrudged the action.

The crowds began to disperse as Talon looked to Riven. "I've got to admit, partner. That was pretty well done."

"Glad you liked it. They have actual mages to help make some of those effects. Now, onto the next activity!" She started to walk away but Talon grabbed her shoulder and spun her back to him.

"How long are you going to drag me around anyway?"

"Don't worry. Just one other thing. Then I'll let you off the leash." Talon raised an eyebrow but didn't object when she gripped his arm again.

She dragged him across the festive landscape once again before they reached a small hut. Riven pulled back the flap and entered. The inside smelled of flowers. Riven wasn't sure what kind they were, but she knew they only grew during this time of year. However that was the least exciting thing she saw. Once she entered, her heart skipped a beat as she gazed upon a familiar mop of dreadlocks.

"Taral!" The man looked up from a desk and a grin crossed his face. He quickly got up and made his way over.

"You made it. I'm glad." They hugged each other for a moment. Riven wished it had been longer. They came apart and Taral gave Talon a quick head-nod. "Talon." Was all he said before Talon wordlessly nodded in response.

"So, Taral," Riven began. "What was this thing you wanted me to see?" A grin crossed his face.

"Oh, right. I'm glad you're here too Talon. I have something for you both." Taral ran to the back of the building. A moment later, he returned with a large square object. Riven and Talon looked to each other quizzically. Taral quickly turned the object around. "Ta da!" The two of them were greeted by a painting. It depicted a cloudy background as if it took place in mid-air. Two figures drifted in a yin-yang formation in the paintings center. One, a woman with white hair, tied into two long strands at the top. She was covered in a red jumpsuit and adorrned by armor. The other figure was a man with long brown hair and a red scarf covering his mouth. He wore a sleeveless blue armored ensemble with a strangely familiar bladed cape.

"You drew us?" Talon said flatly. Riven inspected closer and noticed the resemblance.

"I didn't just _paint_ you." He said, as if correcting Talon's statement. "It's something I've been working on for a few days. I call it, Dragonblades."

"Where did you get the idea?" Riven asked.

"I'm glad you asked. It's kind of a funny story actually…"

"Just skip to the end." Talon cut in. Riven and Taral leered at him.

"Very well. Basically, you," He motioned to Riven. "Were telling me the other day how you thought it was funny how different you two are yet how well you work together. You said it was like two halves of a whole." Riven reddened slightly at the embarrassing words. "And I wanted to do something to celebrate the Revel, hence the title and clothing. Short enough for you, Talon?"

"Perfect." Talon responded. Riven looked to Taral.

"Ignore him. I love it, Taral. I know you painted a bit back in the day but I didn't know you had this kind of thing in you." Taral nodded in approval.

"I'm glad you like it. I've got a few more paintings in the back if you want to check them out." Riven nodded.

"I'd love to. Talon do you…" She turned to find the space previously occupied by her partner was now vacant. She scowled at his empty space before cracking a small grin. _Maybe it's better this way._ She thought as she turned back to Taral.

* * *

Talon could only take the two of them in the same room for so long. He had to get out. Normally his partner was a stone wall but when she was around him, she became something far more…unexpected. He seemed like a decent sort though. Honestly, he couldn't really blame her. But now it was time for him to party. His way.

The crowds didn't get any smaller as time went on. In fact, they seemed to increase. Normally, his instinct would tell him to find a vantage point or some dark corner so he could watch. He had to keep reminding himself that he wasn't working right now. He had to admit, that was an abnormal feeling. Generally, he didn't get a chance to relax but perhaps this was his chance to really live a normal life. For one night anyway. He reached to take the hood off his head only to remember he wasn't wearing one. A chuckle escaped his lips before he waded into the crowd.

Talon noticed places he may need to come back to. Some vendors sold weapons and he had to admit that they looked like his style. Most merchants however sold much more normalized wares. Clothes, food, some of which Talon had bought for himself.

After some more wandering he heard a noise that caught his attention. It sounded like a harp or some variation on a string instrument. He had heard his fair share of beautiful music before but this was something different. It was enchanting. He felt himself, and apparently everyone else, entrapped by the sound. He had to get closer. He started to drift quickly through the crowd until he hit a small mass of people. He could just see over the crowd. A woman sat in chair as the crowd gathered. She wore an ornate red dress with gold trimming and white beneath it. She had long brown hair, tied in two pigtails. A golden instrument seemed to float in front of her as she slowly strummed it. If only he could get closer…

A force hit him from behind. He had to fight back his instincts to retaliate as he felt a gripping on torso. He looked down at the two interlocked hands around his stomach. He noticed the hands were feminine…and grey. He sighed deeply. "Gray. Just when I was starting to enjoy myself." He unlatched her hands and turned to face her. She wore the similar silk style to everyone else, but her dress was a deep jade green that matched her eyes.

"You're soooo mean, Master Talon. I'll have to…report that." Even in the dim light and the lack of flush on her skin, Talon could tell she was already drunk.

"What have I told you about calling me that? Maybe you should go home, kid. You're drunk."

"Maybe you should go home! And I'm not a kid. Look how pretty my dress is." Talon smirked.

"Fine. Not a kid. What are you doing here?" She blinked a few times before responding.

"I'm collecting on what's mine of course!" Talon raised an eyebrow. "Riven and I had a deal. If I got you out of work today, you'd give me kiss." Talon reeled backwards.

"I…" He didn't get a chance to continue as another voice broke in.

"I don't think my brother will be kissing anyone today." Katarina cut between the two of them. "Come, brother. We have things to discuss." As quickly as she came, she turned and left. Talon and Gray looked at each other. He decided to not say anything as he followed his sister away. He was sure he could hear Gray's protests as he walked away.

He followed Katarina to one of the more secluded areas of the town before she led him to an empty bench. They both sat in silence for a moment before Talon started to speak. "Thanks for the save, Kat. I'm surprised to see you here. And in an actual shirt no less." She scowled at him.

"Your constant comments about my attire weren't amusing when we were younger and they still aren't. Luckily, I didn't come here to talk about me. For once."

"For once." He mimicked. "What are you here to talk about? This isn't really your kind of place."

"I could say the same of you. That's what I wanted to talk to you about. Cass and I are…concerned about you." Talon rolled his eyes.

"What could you possibly have to be 'concerned' about?" She scowled and took a deep breath.

"This partner of yours. We think she might be a negative influence on you." Talon snickered before erupting into full on laughter. He continued for a moment before he realized she wasn't joking.

"Oh, gods. You're serious aren't you? That might be the dumbest thing I've ever heard you say." Kat remained stone faced.

"Talon, this isn't a joke. You're going soft." Talon laughed again. Again, not a joke.

"How exactly am _I_ going soft? You'd better have something more than a feeling." She frowned at him.

"I'm sorry. All I have is feelings. In this business, we have to remain as impartial as possible. There's no room for heart in this game."

"I told _you_ that. Just because I've spent time with my frie…" He trailed off before he could even finish the word. Somehow, her frown deepened.

"Were you about to say 'friend'? Didn't know you had any of those." She stood up from the bench and sighed. "I know you think you're in control of your emotions. But remember, we've know each other a long time. I know when you change your behavior." She started to walk away.

"That's a two way street, sister. I remember when you brought your first lover back to the house, you were as nervous as a schoolgirl. So, don't think you can talk to me about feelings without me turning the tables." Kat turned the color of her hair and scowled before turning and walking away.

It was stupid of course. Not to mention ridiculous. Talon was the same man he was before he met Riven. Showing a little mercy every now and then wasn't a sign of weakness or feelings. It was just a sign of _honor_. The word coursed through his head, making him pause. No, he wouldn't accept it. Only fools pledged life to honor, he had told himself as much for years. For him to possess any would be madness. _You're too close._ The words returned to his mind before he shook them off. He decided to get back to the party.

It wasn't hard to find the crowd again. A band had taken the place of the woman from earlier but the music was still nice. He leaned against a nearby wall and took a deep breath. Regardless of what was really going on, he was going to enjoy tonight. "Well, well, well, if it isn't Talon, the duelist? Or should I say, Talon the craven?" The voice was incredibly distinct and one he had hoped to never hear again. _How do these women keep finding me?_ He cursed as he turned to face the voice.

Fiora Laurent stood before him clad in a white dress. She looked the same as she did when they first met. He spread his arms. "Ah, Missy. How nice to see you again." She walked up until she was mere inches from his face.

"Is that all you have to say after what happened last time?"

"I know, killing Kallus was…" She cut him off.

"I couldn't care less about that! How dare you abandon our duel like that? Clearly, you feared I was the superior opponent!" Talon laughed aloud again. He had done that more today than he'd expected.

"You have it wrong, Missy. I wanted to save you from a crushing defeat. You don't have to tell daddy how you lost to a Noxian street rat." She scowled deeply.

"I won't allow you to rile me up, scum. This is a time for celebration." She crossed her arms and turned from him to look at the crowd. Talon smirked and did the same. A hunger rose in his stomach. The same one that must have risen in Fiora because they turned to each other at the same time. She walked up to him with an animal like expression. "Rematch. Now. I will prove myself superior."

"Thought you'd never ask. I found a store that sells weapons, we'll use those."

* * *

Riven and Taral headed up a tall building that overlooked the whole event. Somehow, from here, the whole night seemed more beautiful. Riven noted the river leading into the ocean looked snake like from up here. He mind was filled with her imagined image of Talon's sister. The idea made her shiver. "It sure looks beautiful from up here, doesn't it?" Taral asked. Riven nodded.

"I've always loved the Lunar Revel. It gives me a glimpse of what I hope all of Valoran looks like one day. A day without all this fighting." She smiled a sad smile. Taral tapped her shoulder.

"I think peace means we're out of a job." He joked. Riven chuckled.

"I guess so. Still, I don't want to fight forever. I will do my duty as long as it's required but…" She trailed off.

"I understand. Soldiers don't exactly have much to look forward to."

"What would you do if you weren't one?" Taral scrunched up his face as he pondered the question.

"Painter of course. Don't know why I even had to think about it. I'd paint. And then I'd sell them. Bring some art to this place for once. Noxus doesn't have much room for the 'soft stuff' as my mother used to say. What about you?"

"No clue. Never really thought about it. I was raised into this life. I can't imagine leaving it." Taral looked at her and smiled.

"No wonder, Talon calls you 'soldier' so often." Riven stared at him.

"He calls me that still? He exclusively used that name when we first met. Thought he'd never use it again after he started saying 'partner'. You know, to this day, he hasn't used my name? It's crazy."

"Never? No way." Taral looked up as if he was thinking and started to mumble to himself. "I think you're right. Every time I've spoken to him, he calls you 'soldier' or 'my partner'. How strange." Riven backed away from Taral and raised an eyebrow.

"Do you guys talk on a regular basis or something?"

"Nothing so fanciful, I assure you. He tends to just kind of…appear sometimes. But, enough about him for now. We always talk about him." Riven smiled. He was right. Talon was always a bit of a thorn in her side. Taral had always been around for her to vet her anger at him.

"You're right. No more Talon talk. But thank you, for always listening." Taral smiled his best smile. The smile that seemed to melt Riven's heart. She just wanted him to smile forever.

"I am a great friend. You don't need to tell me." Something clicked in Riven's head. An opportunity she wanted to seize for the last few weeks.

"Yes. You are a great friend…but perhaps you could…" She trailed off. Her heart seemed to beat excessively fast. She'd been in war. How could something so mundane be as scary as this was? She grit her teeth. Her face was flushed with heat and she felt a thumping in her ears. Taral looked at her with an anxious expression. "Perhaps you could be…" Again she faltered. _Damn it all._ She was always a woman of action anyway. She pulled Taral into a kiss. The irony of the situation was not lost on her as she kissed the first and only man that had ever kissed her. Taral quickly got the picture and he responded in kind.

Riven's eyes were closed but she heard the beginning of the fireworks display that officially signaled the start of the New Year. It was perfect. She wanted a future with Taral. Soldiers rarely ever got a future and for today, he was all she could think of.

Eventually they pulled apart. Neither knew what to say but his expression told her everything she needed to know. He took her hand and they caught the last of the fireworks.

* * *

Talon and Fiora had entered a small clearing in the forest. They had purchased blades and a set of paper lanterns for their event. They both wanted it to be a duel to remember. They both set up some lanterns, before they proceeded to observe the blades closely. Talon and Fiora had agreed quickly to get the sharpest weapons. Only an amateur would use a practice weapon in a real duel.

"So, what rules are we going with, Missy?" Fiora crinkled her nose. Clearly, she still hated the name. Before she could respond, fireworks went off in the background. Neither paid it much attention. The world was only this moment in a duel.

"We go to yield. I say we let the blood flow until one realizes they're beaten."

"To the death is more fun."

"And only for the foolish. How can one properly celebrate victory if the other is dead?" Talon smiled.

"I like your style, Missy."

"And what shall be our wager? I want to know what I get from you when I win." Talon pondered the question a moment before an answer came to him.

"I got it. If you win, I'll follow you to one location of your choice and do whatever you'd like. Within reason of course. I'll turn into one of your servants for a day." Fiora nodded in approval.

"And if you win?" Talon smirked.

"When I win, you mean? I get to show you my _other_ favorite sword." Fiora stared a moment before her face turned into one of pure horror.

"How dare you suggest such a base action! Clearly you aren't even a man, but a wild dog. For that, I will make you suffer one thousand cuts." Talon laughed.

"Calm down, Missy. I was only kidding. Don't flatter yourself. Let's say that the loser has to give the winner their favorite sword. I certainly have one. I'm sure you do too." Fiora frowned.

"How do I know you'll honor the deal?"

"Missy, when it comes to duels, I always fulfill my promises." Surprisingly, that was the truth. Talon may do a lot of bad things but when it came to a test of blade skill, he was as honorable as they came. Fiora nodded and readied herself. This was going to be fun.

One hour later, the two of them stood on opposite sides of their makeshift ring. Sweat and blood poured from the both of them. Talon had long since removed his jacket and Fiora had cut her dress off at the knees. They made another charge. Steel clashed against steel as it had for the last hour. In desperation, Talon attempted a wild swing. Fiora did the same. This time, when the blades clashed, steel shattered steel. The swords broke simultaneously and caused the duelists to fall to the ground.

They both heaved as their breaths came shallow and quick. Talon spoke through rushed breath. "I have to admit, Missy. That was much better than I thought." Fiora breathed a few more deep breaths.

"I could say the same. I've yet to meet another with your skill. Perhaps, due to our lack of weaponry, we could just call it a draw? Though, such a thing pains me so."

"I could say the same. But I accept the draw." Talon crawled over to Fiora and laid next to her. "Happy Lunar Revel, I guess." She laughed.

"You too. One day, we will finish this. But perhaps, for now, we can just lay here. Observe the stars."

"I agree. Does this make us officially rivals?"

"I think it does."

"Good. I look forward to crushing you later." She didn't respond. Talon looked over and was surprised to find her asleep. He wasn't certain how long he watched the stars but eventually he too fell asleep.

* * *

Riven left the war room with a dour expression. She had hoped this day would never come. The Noxian invasion of Ionia was less than a week off. It seemed like such a useless battle. Ionia meant nothing to this war. Was it truly only going to be used for Noxian gain and nothing more? She couldn't stomach the idea, though she would. As always, her duty came first. Still, it ate at her. "Deep in thought, partner?" Riven looked at the source of the voice, shocked. There Talon stood nonchalantly.

"Where the hell have you been? I haven't seen you since yesterday. I thought you ended up drunk in a ditch or something."

"I wish. No, I met up with my new rival. Long story short, I slept on some grass and ended up covered in ants the next morning." He shrugged. "How was your night?" A smile crossed her face.

"Amazing, thank you."

"Good for you, partner." He walked up to her and placed his hand on her shoulder. "You deserved a good night." Riven raised an eyebrow.

"What's up with you today? You seem a bit…cheery." Talon shook his head.

"Don't ruin the moment, partner." He flicked her on the forehead and turned away. "So I don't forget: I wanted to thank you for last night. I had…fun." He walked away without looking back. Riven smiled. _Enjoy it while you can, Talon. We may not get another chance._

* * *

Just one story of these two left. I hope you all enjoyed it. I put a lot of thought into this chapter, so please let me know if you like it. And let me know if you hated it because I want the final chapter to mean something to you, because it means something to me. See you soon for the end.


	4. Crimson Moon

Here we are people. The end of the road. It may have been only four chapters but this has been quite an endeavor for me. So, I hope you like it.

* * *

How did it get so wrong? How could it have come to this? Riven had been fighting for hours with no end in sight. _Please, just surrender. This bloodshed must end._ She pleaded with her thoughts; anything more would go unheard and unwanted. She led her squad further up a nearby hill. What few were left seemed to barely be holding it together. She wasn't doing much better herself; the weight of her blade seemed to double.

The hill provided a scenic view of the destruction Noxus had already caused. She could see the main city, it had yet to be touched but the soldiers were close, they had been close for a long time. However they could never make it. Noxus was losing the battle. For every inch Noxus took, Ionia took one back. Their fighting style was too unpredictable. Noxus was a nation of men and women trained to fight a normal battle, but Ionia was something else. For every average soldier they had, they had another who could make swords fly or take away a soldiers will to fight with a magical orb. Nothing was working.

Riven looked to her squad members. They all gave her a look that needed no words. They were ready to serve. But none of them wanted to. They'd follow her to the ends of the world at this point. It was both inspiring and heart breaking. Hopefully they would make it out of the days affairs.

They began the trek down the hill at a brisk jog. They had to catch up with the main force. Normally, she would have led the main charge herself but her squad had taken a small detour. In an effort to move around Ionia's troops they had encountered an old man in a small hut. He had talked to Riven endlessly about how horrible the war they were fighting was. Riven had agreed. She was willing to let the man stay out of the fight. No reason to kill him. But then, out of nowhere, he attacked. Riven had no choice then.

The memory still pained her. _Just another thing to regret._ Once they reached the bottom of the hill, her squad picked up speed as they joined the fray. If the battle wasn't already bloody enough, her presence just added to it. She cut a swath through the opposing forces and the Noxian side started to gain some ground.

She heard a particularly close scream to her right and she turned to see an Ionian charging at her. He was close and closing faster than anticipated. She raised her blade in anticipation but the blow never came. The soldier went down as Riven observed a knife in his back. Looking up, she saw the first positive thing she'd seen all day. Taral stood with his trademark smirk as he picked up the knife. The two of them nodded to each other before the battle continued. There was no time for her to embrace him like she wished. She just had to hope he would make it out of this. Guilt racked her as she wished for his survival more than anything else.

She felt a flood of heat on her cheek as a light enveloped her vision. She quickly dove to the ground as a fireball soared over her head. She quickly got up and looked for the one responsible. Sure enough, a robed man stood in the distance throwing spells. "I'm going for the mage!" She yelled to her squad. Some of them nodded. She'd have to take that for now. She cut through a few more soldiers in an effort to clear the path. The mage noticed her arrival and began to retreat in response. Looks like it would be a chase. She ran after him. He needed to be dealt with; mages could cause serious damage to an unsuspecting force.

A shadow crossed her vision and she looked up. What she saw was officially the _second_ best thing she'd seen all day. A blimp flew overhead. She saw the Noxian flag on the side of it. It looks like the cavalry had arrived. She prayed that this would mean a swift end to the battle.

* * *

Talon gripped the blimps railing until his knuckles ran white. He was torn between two different feelings. The first was that he shouldn't be here. Open warfare? Not his style. He should have been called in before the battle. Soften the resistance a bit. The second thought was that he should be down there. On the ground with his partner, watching her back. Plus, all the Noxian big-wigs he was near made his skin crawl.

Swain himself stood mere feet from him. Then there was his mountain-man bodyguard, Darius. Katarina couldn't resist showing up, of course. The one Talon was most concerned about was the crazy doctor from Zaun they had brought. He was haunting to look at. Covered in mostly bandages and armor, the man known as, Singed looked over the battlefield. Even his mouth was wrapped in bandages. He was a bald man with one blind eye that was milky white and one that was pure green. Talon had seen many dead eyes in his time with Noxus. None of them came close to the empty void of Singed. That man was truly evil.

Talon had seen his work first hand just an hour ago. They had sailed over a small village to the east. Singed had dropped this _thing_ on the place. Talon didn't get a good look at it, but the village was devastated. Where once buildings stood in life, they were immediately replaced by a black scar of death. He doubted anyone could ever live there again. Even if the buildings could be rebuilt the cloud of gas that engulfed the place would permeate the area. Talon shivered.

"What's the matter, Talon?" He jumped as Katarina approached him.

"Nothing. Just watching the fight is all." She nodded and turned to look at the men below. She smiled as if she was satisfied with herself. "What are you smiling about?" Talon asked gruffly.

"It's glorious isn't it? The strength of Noxus grows with every passing minute." Talon smirked.

"As blind as always, sister. Maybe I'm the only one who can see it but we're losing." She frowned at him. "The soldiers can't match their magic. Not only that, but the Ionian's are more skilled than your soldiers are. Without a new plan, those soldiers are dead." Katarina looked as if she was going to respond but before she could, Swain himself interjected.

"Very astute, Talon. Your observations are noted." Swain looked over the battle below with an almost apathetic squint to his eyes. "It matters little, we have something prepared for them. Singed, is the weapon ready?" Singed seemed to almost creep over to the group.

"All is prepared. Your men are bringing it up now." It seemed that he even spoke through the binding on his mouth.

"Good. Fire when ready." Talon looked over to where the men were bringing up the supposed weapon. What he saw only served to confuse him. In the hands of two men was the limp body of the boy Noxus had collected back in the desert. This was the first time Talon had seen him out of a tube. The men brought the boy to Singed who quickly injected him with a needle Talon barely saw.

The tattooed boy made no movement for a time but slowly an expression of pain crossed his unconscious face. Slowly the tattoos on his body started to turn a strange shade of green. The tattooed boy began to scream in anguish. Whatever they did to him, Talon couldn't even begin to imagine.

The men holding him walked the boy over to the edge of the blimp. It seemed like they were going to push him over. Something seemed to grip Talon's chest. His voice came before he could stop it. "What the hell are you guys doing?" Everyone else on the blimp turned to him. Swain eyed him for a moment.

"Winning this battle," The Noxian General stated flatly. "You have some kind of objection?" Talon blinked.

"Several. What's the kid for?"

"Allow me, General." Swain spoke up. He had a far more dignified voice than Talon would guess from his appearance. "The boys physiology is highly conductive. He seems to be able to absorb elements around him and channel them outward. I've just injected him with a highly concentrated dosage of my strongest poison. We send him to the battlefield and he'll send out my poison cloud in a massive burst. No survivors." Talon's eyes widened. He wasn't sure how he felt about everything Singed had said but he knew one thing he couldn't allow.

"My partner is down there." They stared at him once again.

"Riven will be honored for her sacrifice to the cause." Swain looked him dead in the eyes as he said it, as if to say, "I dare you to try something." Talon shook his head.

"Sorry, Swain. That's not going to fly. You can use your weapon on Ionian's but you _won't_ use it with my partner still down there." Talon could have sworn Swain actually smirked at that.

"It's amusing that you think you have any say in the matter." Swain nodded at Singed who took another step towards the tattooed boy. Talon's eye twitched as his right arm seemed to flick on its own, extending the blade attached to it. That got everyone to stop again.

"I have to admit, Swain, I always wondered if there would be a reason I'd have to kill you and your lackeys one day. I always thought I'd do it because I was bored but I'll take this option." Swain raised an eyebrow before nodding to Darius who wordlessly walked up to Talon and stared at him. He was a whole head taller and twice as wide. Yet all Talon could do was smile. "I'm going to enjoy this, big guy."

"Talon, stop!" Katarina's voice rang across the blimp. "Can't you see that this is what I meant when we talked the other day? You're actually attached to this girl." Talon looked to his sister.

"There are dozens of men down there…"

"Don't bullshit me, brother. You couldn't care less about any of the other soldiers. All you care about is Riven. We all see it." Talon scowled but looked back to Darius.

"One last chance, Swain. Call of the attack or I'll put your dog down like the mutt he is." Darius smiled.

"You're pretty confident there. I hope you can back it up." Talon could taste the tension in the air. No one moved as they all seemed to wonder what Talon would do next. He looked to his surrounding Noxians. _Darius has to go first, he's too close for me move past him._ His brain went through the group of potential targets. He decided he'd go Darius, Singed and then Swain. It would be tough, but he was confident in his ability. He shifted his foot slightly, the killing would begin. Or it would have if Katarina hadn't slid her arms through his armpits and wrapped hers around his head.

Talon had to admit that was the one move he hadn't seen coming. "Kat, what are you doing?!" Talon yelled as he tried to escape his sisters grip. She was stronger than she looked. Darius smirked in response and walked a step closer. Before Talon could even think of a counter attack, Darius slammed his gauntlet covered fist into Talon's face.

Talon heard the crunch of his nose before he felt it. The feeling was like he'd run face-first into a brick wall. If that wall had also been barreling towards him simultaneously. His vision swam he almost didn't realize Katarina had let go of him. He fell to his right side as his eyes seemed to force themselves close. _Damn it!_ Talon realized he was blacking out. He tried to grope around for something he could pull himself up with. Something to keep him awake. Nothing came. His arms were unable to keep him hefted up and within another moment he passed out.

* * *

Riven had the worst headache she had ever had. That was no small feat considering her service record. The world was dark but she could swear her eyes were open. She refused to panic. She moved the fingers on her left hand. They refused to move with any urgency. She recognized the feeling of dirt on her face as she tried to move her neck. The feeling sent a wave of pain across her whole body. _What happened?_ She thought. She tried to remember what had just occurred.

She was chasing some mage. The Noxian blimp arrived. Then something fell from it. She remembered seeing something hit the ground and then…nothing. She placed her palms against the dirt and pushed with all her strength. Pain shot through both arms, making her grit her teeth. She forced herself to her knees. She still couldn't see but she took several deep breaths. Her ears were ringing but it slowly subsided as she began to focus her mind. As if on instinct her hands groped around for her blade. Her hands found nothing.

She rubbed at her eyes and found the source of the blindness. A cut had appeared on her forehead causing blood to seep into her eyes. She wiped it away and examined her surroundings. Things seemed calm in front of her. The clouds had become a dark grey and the field looked like any other day. She turned herself around and that was when she saw the horror. A large green cloud had taken up the space in the place she used to fight. She cursed to herself. She must have been shot away from the brunt of the explosion. _Oh no._ An idea hit her. Her squad. Taral. Both must still be in that cloud. She glanced around once again for the mass of her sword, only to find it stuck in the ground a few feet away.

She forced herself to stand. She was lucky nothing was broken. She eyed the cloud. She wasn't certain how she should go about it. She assumed it must be poison, especially if it came from the Noxian blimp. She knew who Swain had aboard. Riven took a step towards the cloud but a voice stopped her from taking a second. "Of course you'd still live. I've always been unlucky." Riven turned toward the sound. The mage from earlier lay on the ground a few feet away. Even from here, Riven could tell he was gravely injured. She looked back to the cloud for a moment before she walked over to the mage.

"You're still alive. Maybe you're luckier than you think." The mage smiled through bloody teeth.

"That's funny, girlie. We both know I'm already dead." Riven could see that much as she got closer. Wounds seeped through his robes, leaving splotches of blood everywhere. Riven looked away from him and considered the cloud again. "It's suicide to go back in there, you know." Riven looked back to him. "What am I saying? Please, go in. One less Noxian in this world could only be good." Riven fell to her knees next the man.

"I never wanted any of this. This wasn't supposed to be how it happened." The mage laughed but it quickly turned to coughing.

"Is that right? Tell me, girlie, how should it have happened?" Riven had no response. "As I suspected." The mage looked up at the grey clouds and smiled. "I always hated the rain. That was until my son was born." Riven looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "As soon as he could walk he loved to go out in the rain. I never wanted to take him outside. 'You'll get sick' I'd tell him. But he went out anyway."

"Where's your son now?" The mage lost his smile.

"In there." The mage motioned to the green cloud. "Much like your friends I imagine." The mage laughed again. The effort seemed to cause him pain as he winced. Riven looked him over once again and placed her arm under his head.

"I'm so sorry." Riven's voice seemed to crack. "We never should have come here. I told them it was pointless. They wouldn't listen. They never listen."

"So you just followed orders then, huh? Good little soldier then. Hope your honor was worth it." Riven found herself smiling as she thought of Talon hearing that.

"My honor is everything to me. Which is why I want you to tell me what your son looks like." The mage looked to her.

"Why would I do that?"

"Because I'm going in there and finding my friends. Let me find your son as well." The mage looked to the sky again.

"You're funny. But it's pointless. The only thing in there is death." The mage took a deep breath. "Let me do something else."

"Please. I swear to you, I'll find your son!"

"Be quite Noxian." The mage reached up and touched Riven's head. After a second, he pulled his hand away and let it slump to the side. "I've just given you ten minutes of air. After that, the poison will creep into your lungs." Riven widened her eyes.

"Why? Why would you do this for me?"

"To prove we're better than you of course." He laughed again but it was mostly just coughs this time. "No, it's not that. If my last moments can be used to save the lives of your friends, then I will help. You may be a Noxian but no one deserves to die like that. The mage slumped back in Riven's arms. The end was coming.

"Would you like me to make it quick?" The mage shook his head. "Just leave me. Maybe I'll catch a drop before I go." Riven nodded and laid the man down.

"Thank you. You have more honor than the rest of my people." Riven ran off and grabbed her sword before hearing a response. There was only so much time left.

The battlefield was far worse than she had imagined it being within the cloud. It was clear from the second she crossed the gassy threshold that she wouldn't be able to stand the inside of the cloud for long. Her breaths came heavy even with the mage's air spell. That wasn't the worst of it though. She could feel a bubbling on the surface of her skin. A bubbling that seemed to get hotter and hotter with each passing moment. All of this combined with the lack of sight within and she knew time was running short.

A few steps in and she swore her sword had gained ten pounds. Her breath rang shallow with every intake. She wondered if she would know when the spell wore off. She imagined by then it would be too late.

The cloud got thicker the further in she went. She didn't even see the body that she inevitably tripped over. Riven tumbled an inch before she quickly recovered herself. She turned to the body. The only saving grace was that the man was already dead. It took everything in her to not throw up her already empty stomach. The man in front of her had a face that was half burned off. There was no skeleton or muscle left, just the empty space of a face that was once full. The face that remained had skin that was peeling off and eyes pure white and locked in terror. The body was much the same.

She stood and backed up slightly. She cursed when she found herself falling again. She reached out to push herself up and her hand came in contact with more flesh. She jolted up and realized the horrid truth. She was surrounded by bodies. All around her, dead men and women. Noxian and Ionian. "No." She whispered to herself. She took a moment to gather herself. A soldier had to remain calm. The more bodies she observed the less of a reality that became. Her heart beat faster and the bubbling in her skin seemed to increase.

"It can't all be like this." She began to shout. Damn the air she would waste. She shouted the names of her squad. She shouted until her throat went raw. She couldn't stop. Someone had to be alive. She didn't care what side they were on. _Why, General? Why?!_ Her mind screamed where she could no longer. "Taral." She intended to scream that. It came out as a dull whisper. "Taral" She said again. She had to believe that this time he would hear. _Someone_ would hear.

Riven almost didn't realize she'd been crying. Her tears ran down her face harder than it had in years. She roughly rubbed her eyes. Crying was weakness. Noxus wouldn't allow it. The thought made her stop. Suddenly, what Noxus wanted seemed far less important. She _had_ to find Taral. No matter what.

* * *

Talon opened his eyes and was immediately met with the image of Katarina placing a wet rag on his head. He slapped her hand away and sat up in the bed he had been placed on. For a moment the two of them stared at each other as Talon tried to decide what the best course of action was. He wanted to say so many things to her. He wanted to scream at her. Part of him wanted to kill her. Instead he decided that any action would result in less time searching for Riven. He quickly threw off the covers and stormed toward the entrance to the tent.

When he began to hear her voice calling, he ignored it as he made his way outside. It took her running in front of him before he stopped. "Talon, stop." He did so and stared at her again. "Please don't tell me you're going to pick a fight with Swain?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Actually, no. But that's a good idea." He tried to keep walking but she got in his way again.

"Gods, you're going after her aren't you? Why do you continue to pursue her?"

"She's. My. Partner." He attempted to walk past but she blocked him again.

"That's not good enough, brother. We're supposed to free ourselves from those connections. They make you weak. I thought you knew that." Talon's anger flared.

"She is _not_ a weakness. She's stronger than anyone in this camp, and I won't rest until I know if she's alive or dead. And besides, sister, you're not really in a position to tell me about connections, are you?" She raised an eyebrow.

"What do you mean?" Talon smiled a sinister smile.

"Your Demacian soldier boy of course." Katarina tried her hardest to resist but her body couldn't stop the twitch that came to her left eye.

"How?" Was all she could growl out.

"My secrets aren't yours, Kat. All that matters is that I know. And honestly, I couldn't care less. We all have one shame or another. My point is: You're not the pinnacle of emotionless living you claim to be. So can I go see my partner or not?" Katarina stared daggers into him. The longer she did, the larger his smile got. She took a deep breath and moved aside. Talon walked past her but turned to say one last thing. "Hey, Kat. It's okay, you know? See you at home." He didn't wait for her response.

He got on the road in quicker time than he anticipated. He had searched for the science tent and was thankful Singed hadn't been present. That would have slowed things considerably. After a few well placed death threats, one particularly timid scientist gave him a mask that would let him breath in the cloud for some time. Though it wouldn't stop it's other effects. Talon accepted that before finding a horse and speeding off.

Talon was glad Noxus hadn't departed the area completely. The camp had been only a few miles from the cloud. He imagined they weren't sure what to do about the battle. Though, none of that mattered to him. All that mattered was seeing if Riven was alive or dead. The thought saddened him. In truth the only reason he'd used that information to get past Kat was because he didn't want to admit the real reason he needed to see Riven. In fact, it was only now that his feelings even made sense to him.

Since he was born, his life had been death. He was born in a world of death and had been molded by the taking of lives. He lived in a country of death. Riven was life itself. The only bright spot in a land of darkness. Talon had forgotten what it meant to truly care for someone, to have friends, to have someone who cared for you. He wouldn't let it go. He couldn't.

He felt bad for the horse after riding it so hard. But it got its chance to rest a half-mile out. Talon saw the dark shape of a man crawling across the dirt ground. The man was missing his right leg and he was making very slow progress across the field. As Talon got closer, his eyes widened. The sight of those dreadlocks was too hard to miss.

Talon leapt off the horse and rushed over to the man. "Taral!" The crawling man looked up. His face was caked with blood but he still cracked a smile.

"Praise the gods. Talon, I…" Taral winced in pain. Talon turned him on his back and laid him in his arms. "Thank you, Talon. I've never been so happy to see another living person before." Taral took a deep breath.

"Taral, where's my partner?" Taral's eyes widened and glanced back at the cloud.

"I…don't know. I lost sight of her during the battle. That gas cloud…it just kept spreading." He moved out of Talon's arms. "Have to go back for her." Talon stopped him.

"Don't be an idiot, Taral. You're in no position to do anything. In case you hadn't noticed, you're missing a leg." Taral sighed.

"I know. Of course, I know." Taral grabbed Talon's collar and pulled him close. "You have to find her, Talon. Please." Taral was on the verge of tears. Talon pulled him over to the horse.

"I'll find her. Just don't die on me. She'll never let me hear the end of it if you do." Talon propped him against a nearby rock. With a few careful cuts from his blade, he cut his sleeves off to make a bandage for the leg. It was a _very_ temporary solution. But it was better than nothing. With that handled he knew it was time to enter the cloud.

The cloud was much more intimidating up close. But he didn't have time to be afraid. He slid on his Crimson Elite hood and then placed the breathing mask over it. Talon took one last deep breath and walked into the cloud. The feeling was…unpleasant.

The sight was somehow much more unpleasant. Bodies littered the ground in an almost decayed state as skin hung off the bodies by tiny threads. It was a grisly sight. The worst he'd seen. "Partner!" He yelled. He felt ridiculous saying that. He hoped by using that name, it would key her in to who was calling. He stepped over what seemed like an ocean of bodies before something caught his eye. A small glow seemed to lie in the distance. It was the only clue he had.

His heart seemed to soar in his chest as he got closer. The glow was from Riven's gigantic sword. He'd never been so happy to see the thing in his life. His elation left him almost immediately. Riven's body was collapsed on the ground. "Partner!" He quickly grabbed a hold of her and flipped her over. Her body was a mess. Her face was covered in blood and scars. She somehow looked thinner than she had when he saw her last and it almost looked like smoke was coming off her arms. Talon had to move quickly. He tried to lift her up. She didn't move. "I hate your stupid sword, partner!" He thought of just leaving it here but he knew she'd never forgive him for that either. She didn't exist without that thing.

Talon gritted his teeth and lifted again. His muscles screamed at him as both she and the sword slowly moved off the ground. He hoisted her over his back and began to walk slowly out of the cloud of death.

The trek was long and hard. He nearly dropped her multiple times and he knew his extra air wouldn't last much longer. Once he finally reached the edge of the cloud he ran as fast as he could manage. He collapsed with Riven in tow a few feet outside the cloud.

Talon didn't waste any time resting. He threw off his mask and hood as he scrambled to Riven. He could see tears streaming from her face mixed with all the blood. He placed his hand on her neck to check for a pulse. He cursed himself as he should have done that before but it didn't matter anymore. He didn't feel anything. Talon began to shake his head. "You don't get to go out like this, partner!" He slapped her in the face and cursed himself for not knowing any proper medical procedure. He had never tried to actually save a life before.

He placed his hands on her shoulders and began to shake. "Come on!" After a moment, a cough escaped her mouth. Talon fell back in relief. Her singular cough turned into a fit of coughing as she began to double over. By the time she was done, Talon thought she might cough up a lung. She stayed sprawled on the ground as Talon walked over to her. "It's time to get moving, soldier." He smiled but was only met with confusion. Riven met his gaze and the tears began to stream down her face again. Talon kneeled down to her. "What's wrong? You're safe, we're good." She shook her head.

"I'm pretty sure I'll never be good again." She quickly grabbed Talon and pulled him into a hug. He could feel her tears soak through his uniform. "You were on the blimp, Talon. Why'd they do it?! Please, tell me why." Talon sighed.

"Because they don't care. They never have. I tried to stop them. I really did. They wouldn't listen."

"Of course," She pulled away and wiped her eyes. "You've said that a thousand times. Guess I should have listened." Talon helped her up. Her Crimson Elite uniform was cut in various places and her hood had come off. He placed his hand on her cheek.

"Come on, partner. We need to get you and Taral patched up. No time to waste." Riven's eyes lit up.

"He's alive?!"

"Yeah, I got him out. He doesn't have much time though, he lost his leg. So we have to get back quickly." He walked a few steps but saw that she didn't move. "What are you waiting for? Let's go." Riven shook her head.

"I…I'm not going back, Talon." A chuckle escaped Talon's mouth.

"What the hell do you mean? We don't have time for this."

"I'm not going back Talon. I refuse to go back to Noxus. Not after what they did here." Talon walked up to her again and placed his hands on her shoulders.

"So, what you're just going to walk away? You're going to desert? What about your honor as a soldier? You can't forsake that." Riven placed her fist on her head and the tears began again.

"You always say that fools pledge life to honor. Well, you were right. If I hadn't been so obsessed with following orders I would have seen something like this coming. I could have stopped it!" Talon let go of her shoulder and paced around her for a second.

"What are you going to do then? Turn yourself over to Ionia. Look for some mystical healing or some shit?" Riven glared at him.

"I'm not sure. I just know I can't be part of this anymore." Clearly she was done with the conversation because she turned around and began to walk. Talon looked from her to the direction of the camp. Taral probably wouldn't last too much longer if he didn't hurry back.

"What about, Taral? Aren't you guys together? You're just going to leave him?" Riven stopped.

"Tell Taral…tell them all that I'm dead. The cloud got me. Tell them I died for the glory of Noxus. They'll eat that up." With that she continued walking. Talon's heartbeat quickened. She was leaving. He was torn. So he did the only thing he could think of.

"Riven, please don't go." That got her to stop. She turned around and smiled.

"It takes a life or death situation for you to actually use my name?" Talon ran to her.

"I can't believe you're going to make me do this, Riven. But here's the truth: I can't lose you. All my life I've had a heart of iron. I couldn't feel much. I was raised in death. But you called me friend. I haven't had one of those since I was twelve and I'm afraid of losing my only one." Riven smiled wider.

"Never thought I'd see you cry, Talon." Talon wiped his eyes. He hadn't even noticed that he had started.

"I'm not… whatever." He felt her arms embrace him again. A move he reciprocated in earnest.

"Talon, I'm glad we became friends. Working with you has taught me a lot about myself and I'll remember those lessons forever. Never forget that you'll always have a friend in me. Even so," She let go of him and turned away. "I have to go. I need to find out what kind of woman I am without Noxus to guide me. You said I would forsake my honor by leaving, but I already lost it when I chose to follow men like Swain. I'm broken inside, you have no idea. So please, my friend, give me this chance to start over."

Talon blinked back the tears as best he could. It seemed that she was determined to go. To find a new life. He knew what he had to do. "Okay, Riven. Go." He turned away. Looking at her was too hard. There was no goodbye to be had. It was too painful for Talon and he imagined Riven felt the same. The grey clouds finally broke as rain trickled down. At least now, no one would realize Talon was crying.

* * *

Epilogue

Riven stood in the endless plains of Ionia taking in the impending sunset. She had no direction, just the need to get further away. She'd been walking for a few hours now and she decided it was time for a break. She sat atop a rock and looked into the expanse. She knew eventually she'd need to find a port to get off Ionia and find some food. But in this moment, she felt happiness. It wouldn't last, the horrors of that day were permanently stuck in her mind, but she resolved to never let something like that happen again.

She looked upon her large sword and the uniform she wore. They were her last ties to Noxus. She quickly removed the uniform, leaving her in an undershirt and shorts. Not practical for her situation but she needed to be free of it nonetheless. She was less sure about the sword. She knew she'd need to defend herself, but it still remained an eyesore. _No more._ She thought. With that, she hefted the blade over her head and slammed it into the rock she sat on.

It took a few swings but eventually the sword broke into various pieces. What she held in her hand was now the length of a normal blade. The thought made her chuckle. She knew the sword could be re-forged, in fact if she focused on the blade, she could almost feel the pieces will back together. The magic in its design. But for now, a broken blade would do. She gripped her necklace and thought of Talon. This, she would keep. A reminder of her friend and that even the most vile of men could surprise you. A few minutes later, she sighed and got off the rock. It was time for her new journey to begin.

* * *

Two days later, Talon stood by Taral's bedside in a hospital. The both of them had slept a lot since returning but Talon was determined to make sure Taral made it through all of this. In a way, he was his last connection to her. Taral was discussing the injury with a nurse for a moment but sent her away. "Thanks for coming by, Talon. This has been a pretty tough two days."

"Yeah, for the both of us." Taral nodded.

"Can't believe she's gone. Every time I think about her it just gets more painful. You'd think it'd get easier. How are you holding up?"

"I'm fine." Taral grabbed Talon's arm and pulled him closer.

"You don't need to be strong in front of me you know. We both cared for her a great deal, it's okay to talk about it." Talon just stared at him. "Well if you ever want to talk, I'm here." Talon looked away and changed the subject.

"Hey, if any of these officials give you any shit, let me know. You know how Noxus is with people they find a liability." Taral nodded grimly.

"I'm familiar, sadly. I'll probably get one of those Zaun crazies to make me a new leg. They always want to try new stuff." Talon nodded again. "I'm thinking about getting out, you know." Talon raised an eyebrow. "Out of the military that is. After what I saw that day, I don't know if I can pick up a sword again."

"What will you do instead?"

"Get back to painting I think. It's always been my real passion. Riven always said I should do more." Talon wanted to tell him she was alive. But what good would it do? It would just make him search. He decided he'd keep the secret from all of Noxus.

"I guess, I'll check on you tomorrow. Try not to die before then."

"One more thing, Talon." Talon looked back. "It's pretty lame but, I'd like us to be friends going forward. I think it's what she would have wanted. I know you assassin's probably don't do 'friends' but in case you do…" Talon just smiled at him before walking out the door. Perhaps all was not lost quite yet.

* * *

If you made it this far, thank you so much for reading. This was a project that meant a ton to me. I thought about doing a fifth chapter that discussed them meeting in the League but I liked this ending better. Hopefully you guys liked it as well. Thanks again and I'll see you next time.


End file.
